³² “‘You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband!

² I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband,^(A) to Christ, so that I might present you^(B) as a pure virgin to him. ³ But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning,^(C) your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Hosea’s Reconciliation With His Wife

3 The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.^(A) Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.^(B)”

Israel Punished and Restored

⁴⁵ But righteous judges will sentence them to the punishment of women who commit adultery and shed blood,^(A) because they are adulterous and blood is on their hands.^(B)

³⁷ for they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They committed adultery with their idols; they even sacrificed their children, whom they bore to me, as food for them.^(A)

⁸ “‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment^(A) over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant^(B) with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.^(C)