I bought her to me] He hath relation to the ancient custome, by which husbands did bestow dowries upon their wives, or purchase them, Genesis 29:18. 27. and 34. 12. 1 Samuel 18:25. His first wife, Chap. 1. 2, 3. cost him nothing; for the parable taketh Israel, as it then was, when he began to prophecie: But this wife cost him money and corn; for the delivery of the people out of Babel, mystically typifying the deliverance of the Church from spirituall captivitie, was a purchase, and came not for nought. See Isaiah 43:24. Ephesians 5:25. for fifteene pieces of silver] These following rates have reference to the value and estimation of all the men of Israel according to their severall ages: for those above sixtie years old money was given; for all the rest barley. It is thus named in parts, that we might be the sooner led to observe how it alludeth to the law, Levit. 27. as also to denote the redemption and salvation of some of all ages. The fifteene shekels is the valuation of him that was above sixty years old, Levit. 27. ver. 7. The homer of barley, whose rate was fiftie shekels, vers. 16. was his value that was between twenty and sixty, vers. 3. The halfe homer, which was rated accordingly at five and twenty shekels, was for him that was between five years and twenty years, old twenty shekels; and for him that was between a moneth old and five years, five shekels, vers. 5, 6. halfe-homer of barley] Heb. lethech.