Chapter 3 — The Old Testament Book of Hosea

Hosea and His Wife Reunited.()

¹ Again the LORD said to me:
Go, love a woman
who is loved by her spouse but commits adultery;
Just as the LORD loves the Israelites,
though they turn to other gods
and love raisin cakes.()

² () So I acquired her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a lethech of barley.

³ Then I said to her:
“You will wait for me for many days;
you will not prostitute yourself
Or belong to any man;
I in turn will wait for you.”

⁴ () For the Israelites will remain many days
without king or prince,
Without sacrifice or sacred pillar,
without ephod or household gods.

⁵ Afterward the Israelites will turn back
and seek the LORD, their God,
and David, their king;() ()
They will come trembling to the LORD
and to his bounty, in the last days.