Hosea 3

1 Yahweh said to me, “Go again, love a woman, loved by her husband, but who is an adulteress. Love her just as I, Yahweh, love the people of Israel, although they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, show love to this woman, who is loved by another, who commits adultery. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods, and love the raisin cakes offered to idols.

2 So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a lethek of barley.

So I redeemed her for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a lethek of barley.

3 I said to her, “You must live with me many days. You will not be a prostitute or belong to any other man. In the same way, I will be with you.”

And I told her, “You must live with me for many days and you must not sleep around or marry another. And I will do the same for you.

4 For the people of Israel will live for many days without a king, prince, sacrifice, stone pillar, ephod or household idols.

And like this the Israelites will live for a long time without king and without prince, without sacrifice and without pillar, without ephod and without teraphim.

5 Afterward the people of Israel will return and seek Yahweh their God and David their king, and in the last days, they will come trembling before Yahweh and his goodness.

Yet afterward the Israelites will return, and seek the Lord their God and their Davidic king, and in the days to come they will turn with awe to the Lord and his goodness.