Add parallel Print Page Options

The Prophet’s Reconciliation With His Wife:
A Picture of the Lord’s Love

The Lord said to me, “Go again. Show love to a woman who is loved by another man, a woman who keeps committing adultery. Show love just as the Lord loves the people of Israel, even though they keep turning to other gods and loving the raisin cakes.”[a]

So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and nine bushels[b] of barley. I said to her, “You will stay with me for many days. You must not be promiscuous.[c] You must not be with any other man, and I will also be for you.”

So the people of Israel will live many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred memorial stones, and without the special vest[d] or family idols.[e] Afterward the people of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king. They will come trembling to the Lord and to his goodness in the latter days.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:1 Raisin cakes were sometimes shaped into images of the goddess Asherah.
  2. Hosea 3:2 A homer and a lethek, that is, six bushels plus three bushels
  3. Hosea 3:3 Or engage in prostitution
  4. Hosea 3:4 Hebrew ephod
  5. Hosea 3:4 Hebrew teraphim

Hosea’s Reconciliation With His Wife

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)

So I bought her for fifteen shekels[a] of silver and about a homer and a lethek[b] of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.”

For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince,(C) without sacrifice(D) or sacred stones,(E) without ephod(F) or household gods.(G) Afterward the Israelites will return and seek(H) the Lord their God and David their king.(I) They will come trembling(J) to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.(K)

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:2 That is, about 6 ounces or about 170 grams
  2. Hosea 3:2 A homer and a lethek possibly weighed about 430 pounds or about 195 kilograms.