Hosea 3

Hosea’s Wife Is Redeemed

1. Then the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she[a] commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.[b]”

2. So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver[c] and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine.[d]

3. Then I said to her, “You must live in my house for many days and stop your prostitution. During this time, you will not have sexual relations with anyone, not even with me.[e]”

4. This shows that Israel will go a long time without a king or prince, and without sacrifices, sacred pillars, priests,[f] or even idols!

5. But afterward the people will return and devote themselves to the Lord their God and to David’s descendant, their king.[g] In the last days, they will tremble in awe of the Lord and of his goodness.

Footnotes:
a. 3:1a: Or Go and love a woman who.
b. 3:1b: Hebrew love their raisin cakes.
c. 3:2a: Hebrew 15 [shekels] of silver, about 6 ounces or 171 grams in weight.
d. 3:2b: As in Greek version, which reads a homer of barley and a wineskin full of wine; Hebrew reads a homer [5 bushels or 220 liters] of barley and a lethek [2.5 bushels or 110 liters] of barley.
e. 3:3: Or and I will live with you.
f. 3:4: Hebrew ephod, the vest worn by the priest.
g. 3:5: Hebrew to David their king.