Hos 3 | HCSB | STEP | Then the Lord said to me, “Go again ; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress , just as the Lord loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes .”

‏ Hosea 3

Waiting for Restoration

1 Then 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

2 So I bought her for 15 ^{▼▼shekel(s): In the OT the shekel is a measurement of weight that came to be used as money, either gold or silver.}shekels of silver and five bushels of barley. ^{▼▼LXX reads barley and a measure of wine
,} ^{▼▼Lit silver, a homer of barley, and a lethek of barley
,} ^f 3 I said to her, “You must live with me many days. Don’t be promiscuous or belong to any man, and I will act the same way toward you.”

4 For the Israelites must live many days without king or prince, ^g without sacrifice ^h or sacred pillar, ⁱ and without ^{▼▼ephod: A vestlike garment, extending below the waist and worn under the breastpiece, which was used by both the priests and the high priest}ephod ^k or household idols. ^l 5 Afterward, the people of Israel will return ^m and seek the Lord their God and David their king. ⁿ They will come with awe to the Lord ^o and to His goodness in the last days.