Hosea 3

1 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.

And the Lord said to me, Go yet, and love a woman that loves evil things, an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, and they have respect to strange gods, and love cakes of dried grapes.

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

So I hired [her] to myself for fifteen [pieces] of silver, and a homer of barley, and a flagon of wine.

3 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.

And I said unto her, Thou shalt wait for me many days; and thou shalt not commit fornication, neither shalt thou be for [another] man; and I [will be] for thee.

4 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.

For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an altar, and without a priesthood, and without manifestations.

5 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.

And afterward shall the children of Israel return, and shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall be amazed at the Lord and at his goodness in the latter days.