Hosea 3

Waiting for Restoration

¹Then the Lord said to me, “Go again; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, ^a just as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” ^b

²So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and nine bushels of barley. ^c,^d,^{e 3}I said to her, “You are to live with me many days. You must not be promiscuous or belong to any man, and I will act the same way toward you.”

⁴For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, ^f without sacrifice ^g or sacred pillar, ^h and without ephod ⁱ or household idols. ^{j 5}Afterward, the people of Israel will return ^k and seek the Lord their God and David their king. ^l They will come with awe to the Lord^m and to his goodness in the last days.