Hosea 2:1-22.

This week's haftorah begins with the words, "The number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea [shore], which can be neither measured nor counted." An appropriate reading for the first Torah reading of the Book of Numbers.

Hosea first prophesies about the eventual reunification of the houses of Judah and Israel. During the Messianic Era, these two perennial antagonists will make peace and appoint a single leader. Hosea then rebukes the Jewish people for their infidelity, abandoning their "husband," G‑d, and engaging in adulterous affairs with pagan deities. He describes the punishments they will suffer because of this unfaithfulness.

Eventually, though, Hosea reassures the Jews that they will repent, and G‑d will accept them back wholeheartedly. The haftorah concludes with the moving words: "And I will betroth you to Me forever, and I will betroth you to Me with righteousness and with justice and with loving-kindness and with mercy."

Nutshell for "Machar Chodesh" Haftorah

When Shabbat falls on the day before Rosh Chodesh, the head of the Jewish new month, as is the case this week, we read a special haftorah that begins with the words "machar chodesh" — "[And Jonathan told David,] 'Tomorrow is the new moon...'" instead of the above one.

I Samuel 20:18-42.

David, King Saul's son-in-law, fears that his father-in-law views him as competition for his throne, and wishes to have him killed. David enlists his dear friend Jonathan, Saul's son, to ascertain whether indeed Saul has such evil designs. Together they devise a plan, according to which David will be absent from the monthly new moon feast hosted by Saul. At this feast, Jonathan will discover Saul's true intentions with regards to David. Jonathan and David will then rendezvous at a predetermined meeting point where Jonathan will convey to David whether he should return to the royal household or flee.

When everyone is seated at the royal feast, the king notices David's absence and asks Jonathan for his whereabouts. When told that he has gone to Bethlehem to be with his family, the king becomes furious, telling Jonathan to fetch David as he is condemned to death. "And Jonathan knew that it had been decided upon by his father to put David to death."

Jonathan leaves the royal table in anger. The next morning he travels to David's hiding place and the two separate amidst an emotional farewell, promising each other eternal devotion and friendship.