The Meaning of Hosea 3:5 Explained

Hosea 3:5

KJV: Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

YLT: Afterwards turned back have the sons of Israel, and sought Jehovah their God, and David their king, and have hastened unto Jehovah, and unto His goodness, in the latter end of the days.

Darby: Afterwards shall the children of Israel return, and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king; and shall turn with fear toward Jehovah and toward his goodness, at the end of the days.

ASV: afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king, and shall come with fear unto Jehovah and to his goodness in the latter days.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Afterward  shall the children  of Israel  return,  and seek  the LORD  their God,  and David  their king;  and shall fear  the LORD  and his goodness  in the latter  days. 

What does Hosea 3:5 Mean?

Verse Meaning

After this period of cleansing, the Israelites would return to the Lord. They would seek Him as their God and a Davidic king as their ruler (cf. Hosea 2:7; Hosea 5:15; Deuteronomy 4:29). They would approach the Lord with a healthy sense of fear because of His rich blessings. This would happen "in the last days," namely, the days of Israel"s national restoration (i.e, the Millennium; cf. Deuteronomy 4:30; Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1).
"The reference to "David their king" should not be understood in an overly literalistic manner. The prophets view the ideal Davidic ruler of the future as the second coming of David (see Isaiah 11:1-10; Micah 5:2) and even call him "David" on occasion (see Jeremiah 30:9; Ezekiel 34:23-24; Ezekiel 37:24-25). This "David" carries out royal functions that cannot be distinguished from those assigned to the messianic king. Other texts make it clear that this "David" is actually a descendant of David (see Jeremiah 23:5-6; Jeremiah 33:15-16) who comes in his ancestor"s spirit and power, much like John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah and thus fulfilled the prophecy of Malachi 4:5 (see Matthew 11:10-14; Matthew 17:11-12; Mark 1:2-4; Luke 1:17; Luke 1:76; Luke 7:27)." [1]
This appears to be another messianic prophecy (cf. Hosea 1:11).
"Chapter3is one of the classic O.T. passages describing Israel"s past, present, and future. Her idolatrous past is illustrated by Gomer"s unfaithfulness to Hosea ( Hosea 3:1-2), despite which Hosea is commanded to love her and buy her back "according to the love of the LORD toward ... Israel," a love which led Him to pay the purchase price of the blood of the cross to redeem Israel, the basis of her restoration. The present condition of Israel is illustrated and plainly prophesied in Hosea 3:3-4. Her future is declared in Hosea 3:5, showing her repentance toward God who, in His faithfulness, will restore her." [2]
"To summarize [3]:
"God is gracious, and no matter what "name" our birth has given to us, He can change it and give us a new beginning. Even the "valley of trouble" can become a "door of hope."
"God is holy and He must deal with sin. The essence of idolatry is enjoying the gifts but not honoring the Giver. To live for the world is to break God"s heart and commit "spiritual adultery."
"God is love and promises to forgive and restore all who repent and return to Him. He promises to bless all who trust him." [2]

Context Summary

Hosea 3:1-5 - "a Door Of Hope"
The valley of Achor was a long wild pass up through the hills. The prophet says that a door of hope would open there, like the Mont Cenis tunnel which leads from the precipices and torrents on the northern slopes of the Alps to the sunny plains of Italy. That door opens hard by the heap of stones beneath which that troubler of Israel, Achan, was laid. We must put away our Achans before we can see doors of hope swing wide before us.
The prophet was bidden to make one further overture to his truant wife. She had been faithless, but the old love burnt in her husband's soul, and he was prepared to buy her back to himself at half the price of a female slave, Exodus 21:32. His only stipulation was that she should abide with him for many days. This was to be a time of testing, with the assurance that, if she were penitent and faithful, she would be perfectly restored.
What a wonderful verse is Hosea 2:3! We are purchased to God by the death of His Son. He only asks us to be for Himself and He promises to be for us. "The best of all," cried the dying Wesley, "is that God is for us!" Shall we not close with the offer and give ourselves to Him? [source]

Chapter Summary: Hosea 3

1  The Lord's intended future kindness to Israel, not withstanding their wickedness,
2  illustrated by the emblem of Hosea's conduct toward his adulterous wife
4  The desolation of Israel before their restoration

What do the individual words in Hosea 3:5 mean?

afterward shall return the sons of Israel and seek - Yahweh their God and David their king and they shall fear unto and His goodness in latter the days -
אַחַ֗ר יָשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל וּבִקְשׁוּ֙ אֶת־ יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם וְאֵ֖ת דָּוִ֣ד מַלְכָּ֑ם וּפָחֲד֧וּ אֶל־ וְאֶל־ טוּב֖וֹ בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית הַיָּמִֽים פ

אַחַ֗ר  afterward 
Parse: Adverb
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
יָשֻׁ֙בוּ֙  shall  return 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
בְּנֵ֣י  the  sons 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
וּבִקְשׁוּ֙  and  seek 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: בָּקַשׁ  
Sense: to seek, require, desire, exact, request.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: Jehovah—used primarily in the combination ‘Lord Jehovah’.
אֱלֹהֵיהֶ֔ם  their  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
דָּוִ֣ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
מַלְכָּ֑ם  their  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
וּפָחֲד֧וּ  and  they  shall  fear 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: פָּחַד  
Sense: to fear, tremble, revere, dread, be in awe or dread.
אֶל־  unto 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
טוּב֖וֹ  His  goodness 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: טוּב  
Sense: goods, good things, goodness.
בְּאַחֲרִ֥ית  in  latter 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אַחֲרִית  
Sense: after part, end.
הַיָּמִֽים  the  days 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
פ  - 
Parse: Punctuation