Hosea 2:1
וְהָיָה מִסְפַּר בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּחוֹל הַיָּם אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִמַּד וְלֹא יִסָּפֵר וְהָיָה בִּמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם לֹאעַמִּי אַתֶּם יֵאָמֵר לָהֶם בְּנֵי קל חָי
The number of the children of Israel will be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered; and it will come to pass that instead of that which was said to them – “You are not My people” – it will be said to them, “You are the children of the living G-d.”
Prophets deliver messages of chastisement and also messages of consolation, but why does Hoshea combine both in a single prophecy? Rashi cites a Midrash that compares the situation to a king who wants to divorce his wife. He sends for a sofer[1] to write a get[2] but before the sofer arrives, the couple reconciles. Once the sofer arrives, the king figures he has to do something with him, so he has the sofer write a document doubling the value of his wife’s kesubah[3].
- Scribe 2. Bill of divorce 3. Marriage contract