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Further Assurances of God’s Redeeming Love

The Lord said to me again, “Go, love a woman who has a lover and is an adulteress, just as the Lord loves the people of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”(A) So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer of barley and a measure of wine.[a](B) And I said to her, “You must remain as mine for many days; you shall not prostitute yourself; you shall not have intercourse with a man, nor I with you.” For the Israelites shall remain many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or teraphim.(C) Afterward the Israelites shall return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; they shall come in awe to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.2 Gk: Heb a homer of barley and a lethek of barley

Hosea Reconciles with His Wife

Then the Lord told me: “Go love your wife[a] again, even though she is being loved by another and is committing adultery. Love her the same way[b] the Lord loves the people of Israel, even though they look to other gods and love raisin cakes.”[c] So I bought her back for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and one and a half omers[d] of barley.

I told her, “You will remain with me a long time,[e] you won’t be promiscuous, you won’t be involved with any man, and I’ll do the same.”[f]

Likewise, the people of Israel will dwell a long time[g] without a king, without a prince, without sacrifice, without sacred[h] pillars, and with neither ephod nor teraphim.[i] Afterward, the people of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come in awe to the Lord and to his goodness in the last days.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:1 Or love a woman
  2. Hosea 3:1 Lit. adultery, as
  3. Hosea 3:1 I.e. cakes used for offerings; cf. 2Sam 6:19
  4. Hosea 3:2 I.e. about ten bushels
  5. Hosea 3:3 Lit. me many days
  6. Hosea 3:3 Lit. same with you
  7. Hosea 3:4 Lit. will live many days
  8. Hosea 3:4 The Heb. lacks sacred
  9. Hosea 3:4 I.e. images used for divination