“Which cannot be measured and cannot be counted” (Hosea 2:1). After He set a limit: “the number will be” (Hosea 2:1), He then says they have no limit, “which cannot be measured and cannot be counted”? It is, rather, that the Holy One blessed be He showed Hosea, just as He showed Abraham, and said to him: “Look now toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you could count them” (Genesis 15:5). What is this matter; “count the stars, if you could count them”?
Does the one who said “and count” then say “if you could count”?34Would God tell them to count something that He tells them is uncountable? It is to inform you that he showed him by number: One, then two, then three, then twelve, then seventy, and then He showed him countless constellations. Why did He show it to him in that manner? He showed him a sign that He will multiply them in the world in that manner.
He showed him one, as initially, he was alone in the world, as it is stated: “Abraham was one, and he inherited the land, but we are many and the land was given to us as a heritage” (Ezekiel 33:24), as he initially came to take refuge under the wings of the Divine Presence. He then showed him two, Abraham and Isaac. He then showed him three, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He then showed him the twelve tribes.
Then seventy, corresponding to the seventy people who descended to Egypt. Then He showed him the countless constellations, as Israel is ultimately destined to be fruitful and to multiply until they are not quantified, as it is stated: “The children of Israel were fruitful and propagated” (Exodus 1:7). To Hosea as well, He showed him by number and without number, as initially they were by number, and they were then fruitful without number.
That is why it is stated: “Which cannot be measured and cannot be counted…” Another matter, in this world they have a number, as it is stated: “You will remain few in number” (Deuteronomy 4:27). But in the future, the children of Israel will be like the “sand of the sea, which cannot be measured and cannot be counted.”