Lexical Summary lethek: Lethek Original Word: לֶתֶךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance half homer From an unused root of uncertain meaning; a measure for things dry -- half homer. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originof uncertain derivation Definition a dry measure NASB Translation half (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs לֶ֫תֶךְ noun [masculine] a barley-measure (Late Hebrew id., a corn-measure); only in שְׂעֹרִים ׳חֹמֶרשְֿׂעֹרִים וְל Hosea 3:2; according to ᵑ9 = 1/2 כֹּר = 1/2 חֹמֶר (q. v.), compare Mishna (LevyNHWB ii. 531), but this tradition is uncertain (compare NowArchaeology i. 203); ᵐ5 νέβελ οἴνου, for ׳שׂ ׳ל.Topical Lexicon Hebrew Term לֶתֶךְ in Scripture The only appearance of לֶתֶךְ occurs in Hosea 3:2, where the prophet records, “So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley”. Its uniqueness makes the verse the primary lens through which its doctrinal and practical significance is understood. Historical and Cultural Setting In the agrarian economy of ancient Israel, standardized dry measures ensured honest trade. לֶתֶךְ was one such standard, forming part of the Mosaic ideal of “just balances, just weights” (Leviticus 19:36). By Hosea’s day, these standards were well known. Mentioning לֶתֶךְ anchors Hosea’s transaction in everyday economic reality, demonstrating that the prophet’s prophetic act was not symbolic only but executed in concrete, verifiable terms. Economic Value and Redemption Price Hosea’s total outlay—fifteen shekels of silver plus grain valued at a homer and a לֶתֶךְ—communicates a bride-price that is sizable but not extravagant. Exodus 21:32 lists thirty shekels as the compensatory price for a slave; Hosea’s expenditure, roughly equivalent, underscores that Gomer was redeemed at a cost paralleling the ransom of a servant. The mingling of silver and barley illustrates redemption that engages both monetary and staple provisions, echoing the holistic redemption God provides: spiritual and material. Prophetic Symbolism Hosea is commanded to “love a woman…even as the Lord loves the children of Israel” (Hosea 3:1). The measured payment featuring לֶתֶךְ underlines the precision of divine love. Nothing is left vague; God’s covenant faithfulness is quantified, as it were, through recognizable market terms. By specifying the measure, Scripture testifies that redemption is not sentimental but objective and costly. Connection to Mosaic Law and Covenantal Faithfulness The prophets often indict Israel for false scales (Amos 8:5; Micah 6:11). Hosea, however, uses an exact measure, modeling covenant fidelity in commerce. His obedience anticipates the Messianic fulfillment where Christ provides the full, just price for His bride (Ephesians 5:25). Thus לֶתֶךְ subtly bridges Hosea’s symbolic act with the larger biblical narrative of lawful, measured redemption culminating at the cross. Ministry Implications 1. Integrity in Stewardship: Accurate measures such as לֶתֶךְ remind believers that financial dealings are acts of worship. Summary Though לֶתֶךְ appears only once, the measure embodies themes of honest commerce, costly redemption, and covenant faithfulness. Through Hosea’s obedient purchase, the Spirit spotlights a tangible foretaste of the ultimate price the Lord would pay to reclaim His people. Forms and Transliterations וְלֵ֥תֶךְ ולתך veLetech wə·lê·ṯeḵ wəlêṯeḵLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Hosea 3:2 HEB: וְחֹ֥מֶר שְׂעֹרִ֖ים וְלֵ֥תֶךְ שְׂעֹרִֽים׃ NAS: and a homer and a half of barley. KJV: of barley, and an half homer of barley: INT: homer of barley half of barley 1 Occurrence |
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