Forlovegomer by Welington Ferreira

FOR LOVE GOMER

I'm afraid of go in direction where my soul dance, where my spirit exults, there where they roar flames, where the ground shakes and lightning fall. I'm afraid to go toward the scary winds of my soul in euphoria of her uncontainable laughter at her joyful shouting. I'm afraid of my soul, who knows where does all this, and where she found so formidable dresses. One who put anklets with bells and these multicolored bracelets? I'm very afraid of my soul when she runs as a child through the corridors of the imagination.

Welington JosĂŠ Ferreira https://soundcloud.com/cantares-de-salom-o/tive-tanto-medo

FOR LOVE GOMER Ephesians 3.14-19 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family[a] in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledgeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

https://soundcloud.com/cantares-de-salom-o/no-coracao-da-tempestade

Gore Vidal in his book "Creation" depict a historical fiction where the protagonist performs a pilgrimage to the ancient capital of Babylon. He came to town at the time of the festivals of Marduk, originate in ancient traditions who legitimated the throne of the Sumerian empire. In this specific case the "divine kinship" will not be settled by a family relationship by blood, but through marriage ... Ancient legends established that the goddess Ishtar to fall in love with a man, having taken on human form, got married it with one that would be the first of the kings of an extensive line of succession, which lost its records in the dawn of time. As a result of this insane passion that inclusive contradicted the divine laws (the goddess received by his actions a harsh punishment), would be born the rites of the royal consecration by the religious festivals, where the king would be exalted to the gods' condition. The goddess, in the same way that was the wife of Gilgamesh and Ashurbanipal, had become 'consort/lover/wife' of a deity named Marduk, whose temples or 'ziggurats' would be scattered throughout the Babylon town, the citadel of 96 km2. Babylon was considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Marduk (Marduk), was a man-god and too a mythological king of the ancient Babylon. Through his marriage with Ishtar the kings of Babylon signed his throne The romantic story of the headstrong goddess Ishtar, represented at the city gates, through animal form, concealed the extent depravity of religion that will sublimate sexual, the 'sacred sex' as more important celebration. The Sumerian and the Chaldean had adopted the sexuality, how the basis of their religion, through mythical fiction, through the ritual of sacred marriage. Is-tar lu-u i-ra-man-ni-ma Istar fell in love with me This love who the goddess nourishes by your favourite is that justify his election and his enthronement, thus legitimizing his kingship. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, some passages alluding to the physical condition of Ishtar have the same ideological construction, the same rhetoric. The goddess, completely exhausted, need to recover herself through restful sleep, weighed down by the grief because of the sacrifice imposed itself in the name of love for Gilgamesh. In the oracles Assyrians, where Ishtar plays a key role in the prophetic communication in the Assyrian religion also find the expression of this physical dimension: 5

"I wander the steppe, asking for your life. Continually through rivers and seas, constantly I cross the mountains and mountains. Constantly through all the rivers. Droughts and rains consume me insistently, affects my beautiful appearance. I'm exhausted, my body is exhausted because of you". The maximum expression of this stereotype and loving relationship between Ishtar and his favorite is the sacred marriage rite. On a hymn that Ashurbanipal dedicated to Ishtar of Nineveh, the poet alludes to the arrival of the goddess and the joy that causes among their peers. Then describes the moments before the rite: The king is dressed in neat clothes and put magnificent dresses. Ashurbanipal comes between sacred and pure offerings. Sweet wine, worthy of divinity, beer too strong for kings! To address your sacred house, she put the harness on your car, too imposing for kings. He completed the offerings, she went to the temple of his desire. The sacred marriage rite was celebrated annually at the beginning of each year, celebrating and renewing royalty. The union between the goddess and her favorite supported the legitimacy of royal power. The book of Hosea narrates the divine love which ardently calls the chosen people to return to their worship. As a marriage destroyed by adultery, the relationship between Israel, whom loved him and freed him from the land of slavery, and God, was going from bad to worse. All divine laws, all the commandments were despised. In particular the growing involvement with idolatrous practices of the sexual deities of Mesopotamia. There was still the idolatry from the cult of the dead, to familiar spirits. There was the practice of offerings, chants, sacrifices and worship to the fertility goddess. Known as Isis on Egypt, was Astarte to the Canaanites, was Inanna to the African nations, Ishtar to the Mesopotamian. Was the lady of the heaven, whose sister was the mistress of death and the owner of Sheol. Was present in many nations and metamorphosed in so many ways that one day a Roman writer appointed him “the goddess of a thousand names”. Her influence spread to Europe and even Rome had her as goddess established in various regions. In the region of Italy or the Iberian Peninsula, especially in the area that would one day be called Portugal was found numerous traces of worship to the goddess. Not content to be worshiped by the Orient, the goddess “immigrated” to the regions of Mongolia, Korea, China and Japan, where it was “smoothed” by Shintoism, becoming the goddess of agriculture. They replaced the divine love by the charms of the goddess of love. The prophet Hosea will be commissioned with the most impressive prophetic mission, the most affectionate mission of all time. Hosea would be used by God, transcending all standards of human love, with romantic prophetic acts, on a mission of the almost-impossible humanity and whose outcome would be, in 6

the eyes of all people, 'an advertised family tragedy' from the beginning of his prophetic commission. Hosea lived in the territory of Israel kingdom of ten tribes (also called Ephraim, because of its dominant tribe). He prophesied during the reigns of the last seven rulers of Israel and the kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah (Hosea 1: 1) Hosea prophesied for at least 59 years. The book bearing his name was completed not long after 745 BC What puts his ministry with beginning about 800 years before Christ. Each part of Hosea book will reveal a love story within another story of love, in the form of a prophetic song. The clues are scattered here and there, creating for us a beautiful image. The sacred prostitution was an act of disguised lust through false dignity granted by magical, mythical and religious doctrines. The magical doctrines perverted the ancient temples, turning them in lawful sex trade sources. The "sacred practices" of cult allow the sexual union between man and the romantic goddesses of Antiquity. Where the priestesses, in a state of ecstasy, thought to be possessed by the female deities. In a context where 'relationship' and 'sexually' mean the same thing, who the religious rites were very shameful. The girls and boys were influenced by the magical priesthood, being introduced a world of luxury still very young. Shrines were supported by the 'living offerings' from the crowd of teenagers. In counterpart, enriched temples and priesthoods. Entire cities were supported entirely by the practices of the ancient religions of Canaan. The paintings of the Lady of heaven, the former sex goddess of the Egyptians, is explicitly pornography in the form of Egyptian iconography. The same kind of lust found in paintings at Pompeii, on Greek vases and on thousands of other representations on remote regions of the planet. It is present in the whole of Africa, as well as in the states of India (Khajuhaho), Oceania, Caucasus steppes, Andes, China and represented by paintings of Joseon, ancient Korean kingdom, and in the art the Tibet mountains. The territory corresponding to present-day Iraq (and Syria) was known in antiquity by the name of Mesopotamia, Greek term which means "between rivers". This region was the scene of the first sedentarization process of human groups, whose historical experiences trigger in complex urban groups since the mid-third millennium BCE (a.E.C.). Being the cultural center of the Middle East, Mesopotamia can be divided into four regions: Sumer (from the III millennium) and Babylon (from the second and first millennium) to the south, Akkad (from the III millennium) and Assyria (from the II and I millennium) to the north, and Elam to the east and Syria to the west. One of the epithets often used by Mesopotamian kings, was "The Lord of the four regions." 7

According to the document Iddin-Dagan, the Sumerian deity, the goddess Inanna, too Ishitar, had a cult statue adorned with jewels and with a royal cloak. She was invoked by warriors, as a kind of patroness of hosts. Certain Sumerian text says: "Undoubtedly the valiant young (warriors) go invoke her. Inanna causes terror during the fight, she shook the heaven." Therefore, by all beings paid to them tribute, men, gods, animals and all nature kneel front of holy Inanna. The offerings to Inanna were varied. To her it was offered incense, lighting up the terraces. Offers made in "welcoming places" and in corridors and in walls, placed on his top to "fill the sky with perfumes". They sacrificed the best sheep to her, purifying the altars, offerings all kinds of libations. Thanksgiving offered for her by the abundance and by the desire for prosperity. It was offered to her butter, fruits, wheat beer, honey, wine and flour, products of the land, gifts to "goddess of life." The flour indicates that the fields were in bloom. That harvest would be favorable. Other products offered indicate prosperity, fertility and fecundity, ideals of the man of Mesopotamian for their material life. They requested prosperity for the spiritual life. During the festival would happen sexual licentiousness, and orgies both sacred as profane. The sex goddess, Inanna “would open the way”, teaching at the men the secrets of the “sacred embrace”. Purified herself bathed herself with soap. She anointed her body with fragrant oil and waited anxiously on the bed. The king also shared the bed of Inanna and joined her in the sacred embrace". However, the sexual union promoted by Inanna was not just languid. She was voluptuous, after all she was the "wild cow" who "giver of life". Inanna, in sexual act, also burning on unquenchable desire. She was the goddess that "120 men could not satiate". Inanna ruled the "sex meaning" in three main ways: sex as reproduction (as much as survival as creative energy); sex as pleasure (sensual or wild); and the sex as sacred (as a means of knowledge and encounter with the divine). The ruled men their institutions always marking his territory from his cerimonial bed. She ruled the official temples, magnificent as Eanna in Uruk, and extended its domain to more distant places like the Abgal in Umma, Duranki in Nippur and Edilmuna in Ur. They constituted their home with servants, fed her, priests chanted songs, eunuchs who provided services, priestesses who officiated several ceremonies, to her ostentatious, wardrobes, jewelry and textiles from various places. (Simone Aparecida - Journal of history - The hierogamos - Inanna and Dumuzi: sexuality, religion and politics in Mesopotamia) Israel was involved in the proportion that grew as a kingdom, deep in the religious universe of antiquity. It was involved in their customs, in their libidinous practices and their lust. He took part in a debauched world, which hid 8

a terrible and oppressive reality. The true face of this rotten celebration was prostitution and sexual slavery. The Spirit of God through his prophets, vehemently denied their acceptance, their connivance, his inspiration or that such use of human sexuality could bring any advantage. His motivation was false and the purpose of marriage derided on every cult. The girls were used as prostitutes, humiliated. They carried the name of 'sacred' and inside her, the destruction of his dreams, of his ideals and of his personal history. There is a "hidden evil" in benevolent treatment, in the parsimony with which many historians, scholars and supporters depicts the magical treat debauchery and sexual exploitation held in the name of religion. The Spirit of God in any way deal with such practices with a "loving look". He vehemently goes condemn it by the mouth of his prophets, he abhor such practices so that even the wages a cult prostitute would be regarded as abominable as an offering before him. The price of such salary was the human life, was agony, disease, mistreatment, abandonment, anguish and the loss of innocence in the hands of people who would use the 'servants of Innana "as objects for satisfaction of animal instincts. The 'honor' that was granted to them for being priests and priestesses or officers of the ancient temples, was willful lie in the eyes of God. For hundreds of years Israeli parents agreed to the prostitution of their daughters and boys in the festivities of Mesopotamia and Canaan. They encouraged the wives and daughters to participate in their events and even become part of the prostitution, both secular as sacred. Whorehouses of various kinds have mushroomed with the priestly, real and legal permission. So the Spirit of God predicts the destruction that the Assyrians will bring about ten tribes of Israel, because of the terrible corruption and the nation's spiritual decline. Every chapter of Hosea's book will reveal inhumanity, premeditated murders, lies, usury and widespread dishonesty, the worship of family spirits in each house and the effective participation of the thousands families in superstition and prostitution practices. The adultery becomes something as common as violence. At certain time on the Hosea's book we will know that a group of priests became in a band of robbers and murderers! Waiting hidden, close to the main entrances of major cities, to kill. The excess of wine of celebrations falls ill and does mad nobles, misrepresents many people. Prostitution girls start early. Still as teenager they were conducted the brothels. They would be compensated if she had great beauty, achieving certain status and then would be assigned to 'exclusive use' to nobles, merchants and people 9

of upper classes, the equivalent 'call girl' or luxury prostitutes in our modern society. Also in the temples of Inanna, Astarte or Ishtar they would achieved rapid rise to the class of 'priestesses' due the great profit to the local priesthood. Given that the 'gifts' to priestesses were the most varied, including the best fruits of the earth, wine, wool, clothing, miscellaneous goods, jewelry and large amounts of money. The goddesses would splendidly decorated, adorned with real gems. The goddesses were, figuratively speaking, "rich women", enriched by offers acquired by the hands of the girls of the temples. The prostitute of Antiquity was an expert in the art of entertainment. They should entertain guests in various ways. Therefore, the girls would be trained with music, with dancing and singing. The secular prostitute who did not belong to the temples had robes and special brands, distinguished by way to walk, through the way she sways her hips and by way that made it sound their bracelets and bells tied in her skirts. Their steps were extremely musical. The girls of the temple also had significant knowledge of liturgies, hymns of praise and worship, whose lyrics were inspired in poetry romantic. The songs sung with love lyrics, who tell stories of seduction. The environments prepared with oils and aromatic scents. The perfumed and adorned girls to represent the goddesses whom they served. The sacred songs were evocative and full of sensuality: Inanna brought the sacred measures She brought the put clothes on the floor She brought enchantment She brought the art of being a woman She brought the perfect execution of the rites She brought the drums Tigli and lili

They should demonstrate joy, laughter, sensuality and beauty. Isaiah tells us that they had custom to sing and play the harp around the cities. "Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.â&#x20AC;? They experienced the equivalent of prep schools that teach the art of entertaining, being attractive, through by singers, musicians, harlots more experienced, eunuchs and priestesses. When Isaiah is called to prophesy to Israel God's Spirit will propose one of the most extraordinary things I have done on earth.

“When the LORD spake at the first by Hosea, the LORD said unto Hosea, Go,

take unto thee a wife of whoredom and children of whoredom: for the land doth commit great whoredom, departing from the LORD.” “So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim (Gô’-mer bat Divláim); and she conceived, and bare him a son.”

Marry a prostitute

And by book's context, is not a common prostitute. Gomer is a sacred prostitute. In fact, GOMER transited in the two worlds of ancient prostitution. The first one, by convention, we call 'profane' or secular. The second type we call "sacred prostitution". The virgin woman has been idealized as a wife for all the Israelites. Since antiquity times the prostitute knew would never would have the dignity to become legitimate wife, of a man of his community or by a foreign. Daughters were turned into prostitutes knew they could no longer marry. A common prostitute was usually a poor family, she often out SOLD by their parents to fill that position. As modern places of great poverty of India. The prostitute has been considered a 'public woman'. She had many lovers, usually not kept family ties. It would be considered as unworthy any relationship with his family. Similarly the existing family ties would be despised by shame from his relatives. They are ashamed of being spotted with her. She would be rejected of living with the family, on a path of no return. The father's name of Gomer, Diblain is quoted by Hosea, which would be unusual at all other times of Israelite history. Prostitutes wouldn't listed on genealogies, wouldn't participate in the paternal inheritance. They became people “no family”. In fact, were parents who giving his girls to temples. The society of that time considered it common. Thousands was doing it. Behind mention of Gomer's father there is the responsibility (or irresponsibility) about the future her. He was guilty of what his daughter was to become. Hosea goes to a luxury brothel or to the Ishtar Temple, because the secular and religious practices were confused at the time such licentiousness. Most of them, perhaps all, were religious, practicing rites of consecration and and worship of many gods, Baal and Teraphim, the familiar spirits, also for sacred trees and prosperity's goddesses. This deities not reproached her conduct or her debauchery. On the contrary, all the ancient gods have allowed, concern itself with their own offerings and their own rites. Worship Baal require only to pay him tribute, offer gifts, regardless of personal conduct. 11

I believe that the Spirit of God that raised Hosea as a prophet, led to a Love Goddess sanctuary, for a cult prostitute who lived in continuous ritual of sacred sex, who participated most rites in “sacred” festivals washed down with wine and sex, for this story translate a love of “another world”. The prophet, according to the divine word, choose Gomer, which is in everything it does, in everything it wears, in every worship song, the goddess Ishtar. Hosea to invite the girl, who every year attending the party wedding of the gods and that represented with his own body the marriage between the goddess and a human being, to participate in something that would be denied to all its life:

Her own marriage.

The prophet made him an impossible and unbelievable the community's eyes invitation. Marry Gomer, marrying a whore. I need to talk about the supposed beauty of Gomer. The more beautiful was the prostitute in antiquity, most 'honored' with gifts she would. The more beautiful, the greater its power to dispose of his body, choosing who would like to spend the night or have relationships. This is also the message that transmits the images (iconography) of Greek vases depicting Simphosiuns of antiquity. To date this rule is a cultural reality, the 'domain' or the 'value' of the prostitute is linked to her youth and physical beauty standards. In the Hosea’s book, a certain 'complaint Ephraim' Gomer hidden beauty is revealed through the material goods she received. Including fig trees and even a VINE. “For their mother hath played the harlot: she that conceived them hath done shamefully: for she said, I will go after my lovers, that give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, mine oil and my drink.” “And I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees, whereof she hath said, These are my hire that my lovers have given me: and I will make them a forest, and the beasts of the field shall eat them.” However, the outer beauty of Gomer hid inside a process of unswerving debauchery. The marriage proposal is undeniable, it would bring honor, give it a name, you would give the benefit of inheritance and children who could be legitimized. Gomer, even without love for Hosea, agrees to marry him. Up to this moment we believe that Hosea does grieved, struggling with himself, disgusted, only an obligation in fulfillment of the divine order. Terrible mistake ours. In so far that 12

the Holy Spirit is 'platted' a tremendously human prophecy will give us clues about his deliberate choice of Hosea and because he was able to endure things that still happen in your marriage throughout the book. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt. As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto the Baalim, and burned incense to graven images. Yet I taught Ephraim to go; I took them on my arms; but they knew not that I healed them. I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love; and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat before them.â&#x20AC;? The Spirit of God had loved and declared his love to Israel since his childhood since Antiquity. His love was above the 'seduction' of other gods. His love was true, deep, permanent. Behind the love of the Spirit we need rethink the vocation of Hosea. Somehow, he met Gomer in the past. He saw her grow, he helped walk and maybe even carried her on his lap. We can imagine his sadness to learn that she had been sent by the hands of Diblaim or with his consent to the way of prostitution. The Israelites send their wives and daughters to a one way road, removing the dignity of them in front of relatives, preventing them from the service of the sanctuary of God, exposing them to public humiliation in her community. Hosea got to a "sexual sanctuary" to rescue the dignity of a woman, bringing her out the prostitution world, like wife, like mother. Gomer accepts the marriage, accepts the 'new' married life and becomes pregnant of Hosea. However, does not abandon her prostitution. Even pregnant, we can infer from the context of the book, she does not depart from your lovers. The Spirit knew she would continue to practice their craft as a prostitute, because it her children would be still considered children of prostitution, despite Hosea accept its paternity. The first child born is called Jeezrel. The boy symbolizes a past of violence that will conduct the royal dynasty to a future war against the Assyrians, who had Inanna how goddess-mother. The goddess worshiped by Gomer. Gomer yet would give birth a daughter and a boy. The girl was called Loruhamah and the boy, Lo-ammi. "Not favored" and "Not my people". Their names symbolized the rejection of Israel. However, would not be their permanent names.

For a few years were known by his stranger names, until the Spirit ordered that their names be changed. In ancient times the children's names were permanent, often granted before they were born. There was no way to change names unless by captivity, becoming slaves or receiving new names given by the government, or by officials of municipalities. The change of a person's name was something rare. Lo-ruhamah received a new name, being called Ruhamah, the "Lo" particle is equivalent to 'no' in the English language. The girl now called "Favored". And the boy changed "Lo-Ammi" for "Ammi": “My people”. The days go by, but the conduct of Gomer did not improve. She continued to live a life away from her home, despising Hosea. He did not have many possessions, as we will see. He gave her a name, a family, but did not have, even remotely, the wealth of those who visit the temples and brothels, that use the services of luxury prostitutes and priestesses of the temples, giving them gifts as rich offerings. Gomer continued to practice a double life. Wife and mother, a prostitute and lascivious. All Hosea appeals were in vain. The Spirit of God orders his children, correct it. They are still children, but old enough to understand that his mother could not leave them to do what they did. Gomer was a clever woman in various arts and much admired by children. Skilful at dance, she still possessed splendid robes of her time in the sanctuaries, also played several musical instruments and even mastered the art of singing. However, mother and wife's life could not completing it, despite its name, GOMER to mean fullness. She missed her lovers, the libidinous life and especially of goods, many goods and wealth that her life of immorality gave him. Then she leaves her home, abandoned children, abandoning also Hosea and tries to return to his previous life. Decides to live dedicated to the ancient craft, wondering what might find yourself in the place that left back. But the years had passed. Gomer was no longer the teenager who was courted by all, desired as a prize by the crowd of men. It was now as a prostitute any, nothing more. Considered 'old' to exercise her olden profession. No longer would give expected profits to Ishtar temples. She no longer would requested for dances and for parties Torn between two worlds, she misses children. No longer represented its role as 'happy girl'. Occur changes which makes her dependant on a pimp, or the female equivalent “madam”, owner of a brothel. The girls sold to these places fall into heavy debts, added by garment rates, food and housing, becoming eternal slaves of their condition. Gomer became a common prostitute, attached to a life of sexual slavery, after having dishonored her husband and leaving three children. After leaving a husband who loved her. She abandoned the dream of all the women who were slaves of a brothel. The dream of owning a 14

family, better than a liar luxury, better than vanity, false promises or praise from those who never had consideration for them. The days pass monotonous and sad, hopeless, in a painful and lonely destiny.

But, she is a living prophecy, and in it God has a purpose of magnificent love. I feel my heart heading towards you Without permission, it's being taken No matter how much I deny it My heart is only for you My heart's like this The desire for you in my chest (Jeon Woo Sung)

Upon learning of the situation of the girl who they thought was the ex-wife of Hosea, the 'friends' of the community where they lived, decide to go to the brothel where she was. Gomer is still young, she is still a beautiful woman. She does not have the required beauty standard of aristocracy, but still above the expectations and resources of a Jewish farmer, or resources of an employee of this epoch. What did was shameful because many who participated in the events and activities of family life of Hosea, now use it as a prostitute. Some for revenge, others out of spite. Many of envy, some by false compassion. Among them, someone does, perhaps, also liked her. And they continues to visit her in the brothel several times. However, no rescue it of sad situation. Hosea 3.1 Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. The story spreads throughout the community. We have many terms of derision for this type of situation. As in many parts of the world, the cuckolded husband is also victim of humiliation from friends, relatives and even strangers. The story had spread and the social barrier between Gomer and Hosea further increased. However, the Spirit knew whom had chosen. He deeply knew the heart of the man separated by him for the ministry. Hosea had the heart like his. The Lord commands Hosea to go and do the impossible for the second time.. 15

Moses complained of his call, Isaiah would say that was not worthy, Eliah complain and fear Jezebel, Elisha put a condition to be called prophet and Jeremiah said: "I am still a child" when God commanded them to do what them had to do. The Hosea's response is immediate. Hosea does not say a single word and resolute part as a dragon toward his wife, whom he loved desperately. The miracle happens. Gomer sits on establishment of the door waiting for another customer, awaiting the arrival of a stranger. But it's not a stranger who comes to her. Someone who carried in her arms when she was a girl. It was someone who loved her since birth. He would look it up into hell, if need be.

Every time I can't see ahead and am about to collapse You always give me courage with that smile of yours When I feel sad and alone, you make me smile If it's not for you then there wouldn't be the me now. (Best Friend by BoA)

We do not know how was the meeting with Gomer. Hosea goes to the brothel owner and offers everything you had, within its limited conditions. Hosea paid 15 silver pieces (1 shekel about $33), and a homer and a half (330 liters) of barley to buy back the adulterous Gomer as his wife, price that some commentators consider to be equivalent to the price of a slave, 30 silver shekels ($66). (Ex 21:32) The 'jealousy offering' that the law required in the case of a man to suspect sexual infidelity by the part of his wife was a tenth of an ephah (2.2 liters) of barley flour. (Num 5:14, 15) An expensive property in a city worth about 400 pieces of silver ... One hundred pieces was worth a place to hold a camp. For 20 pieces of silver a person would be sold to slave traders that traded for more 10 pieces, selling it for about 30 pieces. One hundred pieces of silver would be the price for defamation of a virgin, and fifty pieces the price to be paid to parents if a man had forced sex with a woman, and would still have to take her as a wife for the rest of your life. At the time of the siege of Jerusalem an extremely undervalued property was purchased by Jeremiah for 17 pieces of silver. Genesis 23 16

“Listen to me, my lord; the land is worth four hundred shekels of silver, but what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.”

Genesis 23 16

Abraham agreed to Ephron’s terms and weighed out for him the price he had named in the hearing of the Hittites: four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weight current among the merchants

Genesis 37 28

So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.

Deuteronomy 22

They shall fine him a hundred shekels of silver and give them to the young woman’s father, because this man has given an Israelite virgin a bad name. She shall continue to be his wife; he must not divorce her as long as he lives.

Deuteronomy 22 29

he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.

Jeremiah 32 9 so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed 9 out for him seventeen shekels of silver. The girl in which a day they offered a vineyard, now worth less than a slave to be negotiated at a fair and less than a plot at a city under siege.

However, it was all that Hosea had. However, it was all that Hosea had.

Even if it is little, although all he has, miraculously your payment, your offer, was accepted.

There would be a price to be paid, greater price to be paid for Gomer, yet. The Spirit told him that he needed to get away from her

I thoughtlessly walk Wherever my heart takes me It seems I am looking for Those that look similar to you I'm still standing at the same place It almost seems like you just tapped my sagging shoulders And hid from my sight Why are you not there? can I not see you? Are my eyes looking too far? I trusted that I could love again Still you stay, branded in my heart unmoving. What do I do? (Shinee)

Hosea 3:3

Then I told her, â&#x20AC;&#x153;You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you. Still had years of prophecies to be delivered. And Gomer needed to be treated by God. Hosea left, promising to return one day. But long will your journey. Very long. The longing squeezes the heart of Gomer until in despair she goes in search of Hosea. But as the search can not find it.

Hosea 5

6 When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the Lord, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.. It is a representation of the result of Israeli apostasy.

We do not know been three, five, seven or 12 years that Gomer waited. When he returned to the world of prostitution, she already had some gray hair, which now were numerous in her head. Hosea 7

9 Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realize it. His hair is sprinkled with gray, but he does not notice. But the girl endured the separation. And Hosea fulfills his promise. For many years she sang her songs to Jeezrel, Ruhamah and Ami, now, three teenagers. When finally Hosea re-entered the gates of his house, after many years, a place where he would continue to exert his long prophetic ministry, which lasted about 60 years. The harlot that no longer existed. Only remained a wife and a devoted mother. Only a woman who never would have other lovers, who would never belong to most anyone else. To fulfill the prophecy:

Hosea 2 14 “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her. 15 There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will respond as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. 16 “In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’ 17 I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips; no longer will their names be invoked. 18 In that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the creatures that move along the ground. Bow and sword and battle I will abolish from the land, so that all may lie down in safety. 19 I will betroth you to me forever; I will betroth you in righteousness and justice, in love and compassion.

Finally Hosea can to live the dream that the Spirit of God would want to live with all human beings, represented in the person of Israel, through Ephraim. The dream that did not come true with Ephraim. As an adulterous woman, who never give up of their spiritual lovers, Israel and brought to themselves great disaster. Because of the luxury and his dishonesty and by all kinds of treason. Including slavery and murder. The harsh judgment, was actually, the result of too much love by the darkness, and would occur painfully.

16 The people of Samaria must bear their guilt, because they have rebelled against their God. They will fall by the sword; their little ones will be dashed to the ground, their pregnant women ripped open.â&#x20AC;? Hosea can protect, at least, one of those girls.

A "Ishtar's prostitute" was called by the Spirit of God to be the wife of his prophet, to give eternal envy to the 'goddess of love', who gave himself for love of Marduk, a scoundrel deity, who left the goddess, whom confessed his love, in the world of death and darkness, by the right to rule over the land of Mesopotamia. And Gomer embraced tenderly to her three children, Jeezrel, Ruhamah and Ammi, with her husband Hosea, whose name means Salvation, finally fulfilled the meaning of his own name. Because only now, she finally, reached the Fullness.

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ADDENDUM

Hosea 1New International Version (NIV) 1 The word of the Lord that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash[a] king of Israel: Hosea’s Wife and Children 2 When the Lord began to speak through Hosea, the Lord said to him, “Go, marry a promiscuous woman and have children with her, for like an adulterous wife this land is guilty of unfaithfulness to the Lord.” 3 So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. 4 Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call him Jezreel, because I will soon punish the house of Jehu for the massacre at Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel. 5 In that day I will break Israel’s bow in the Valley of Jezreel.” 6 Gomer conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. Then the Lord said to Hosea, “Call her Lo-Ruhamah (which means “not loved”), for I will no longer show love to Israel, that I should at all forgive them. 8 After she had weaned Lo-Ruhamah, Gomer had another son. 9 Then the Lord said, “Call him Lo-Ammi (which means “not my people”), for you are not my people, and I am not your God.[b] 10 “Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ they will be called ‘children of the living God.’ 11 The people of Judah and the people of Israel will come together; they will appoint one leader and will come up out of the land, for great will be the day of Jezreel.