Hosea 3

1 And the Lord said to me: “Go yet again, and love a woman, beloved by a friend, yet an adulteress, for so does the Lord love the sons of Israel, yet they look to strange gods, and love the seeds of grapes.”

Then said the Lord unto me, Go once more, love a woman beloved of her husband, yet committing adultery; like the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who turn themselves after other gods, and love flagons of wine.

2 And I contracted her to me for fifteen silver coins, and for a basket of barley, and half a basket of barley.

So I bought me such a one for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a chomer of barley, and half a chomer of barley.

3 And I said to her, “You will wait for me for many days. You will not commit fornication, and you will not be with a man. But I also will wait for you.”

And I said unto her, Many days shalt thou abide [true] for me: thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not belong to any man, and so will I also be toward thee.

4 For the sons of Israel will sit for many days without a king, and without a leader, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without priestly vestments, and without religious symbols.

For many days shall the children of Israel abide without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without a standing image, and without an ephod and theraphim.

5 And after this, the sons of Israel will return, and they will seek the Lord their God and David their king, and they will be terrified by the Lord and by his goodness, in the last days.

After that will the children of Israel return, and seek for the Lord their God and David their king; and fearing will they hasten to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days,