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 Yahweh said to me, “Go and show to your wife that you still love her, even though she has been committing adultery with another man who loves her. [That will show that] I still love the people of Israel, even though they worship other gods/idols and eat raisin cakes [in feasts that honor those gods].”

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

[My wife had become a slave, ] but I bought her for (6 ounces/179 grams) of silver and ten bushels 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.”

Then I said to her, “You must wait for many days [before we sleep together] [EUP]. During that time, you must not be a prostitute, and you must not have sex with any other man; but I will live with you.”

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

[Our doing that will show that] in the same way, the people of Israel will not have a king and [other] leaders for many years. They will not offer sacrifices or [have sacred stone] pillars, no sacred vest [for the Supreme Priest], and no idols!

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.

But later, the people of Israel will return to Yahweh their God and [be guided by him and] by a king who is a descendant of [King] David. In the last/future days they will come to Yahweh, revering him and trembling [in his presence], and he will bless them.