Hosea 3

1 And the Lord said to me: Go yet again, and love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress: as the Lord loveth the children of Israel, and they look to strange gods, and love the husks of the grapes.

Then said Yahweh unto me, Once more, go love a woman who loveth a friend, and is an adulteress, —according to the love of Yahweh unto the sons of Israel, though they keep turning away unto other gods, and love [idolatrous] raisin-cakes.

2 And I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a core of barley, and for half a core of barley.

So I secured her to me, for fifteen pieces of silver, —and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley;

3 And I said to her: Thou shalt wait for me many days: thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt be no man’s, and I also will wait for thee.

and I said unto her, Many days, shalt thou tarry for me, thou shalt not be unchaste, neither shalt thou become another man’s, —moreover also, I, [will tarry] for thee.

4 For the children of Israel shall sit many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without ephod, and without theraphim.

For, many days, shall the sons of Israel tarry, without king, and without ruler, and without sacrifice, and without pillar; and without ephod, or household gods.

5 And after this the children of Israel shall return, and shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king: and they shall fear the Lord, and his goodness in the last days.

Afterwards, shall the sons of Israel return, and seek Yahweh their God, and David their king, —and shall turn with throbbing hearts unto Yahweh and unto his goodness, in the afterpart of the days.