Question
Did Hosea marry a prostitute (1:2-3)?
Answer
Many of the commentators say that the marriage of Hosea and Gomer didn’t literally take place, but Rashi takes it literally, and also says that Gomer’s children were possibly illegitimate. Hosea thus had grounds for accusing her of adultery (which would have made her subject to the laws of Sotah: Num. 5:12-31), but making such an accusation is the husband’s choice, and evidently Hosea didn’t choose to do it, probably because, in marrying her, he was following G-d’s orders.