Hosea Redeems His Wife
3 The Lord said to me again, “Go, show your love to a woman [C probably Gomer (1:3), who has since deserted him] ·loved by [or who loves] someone else, who ·has been unfaithful to you [is committing adultery]. In the same way the Lord loves the ·people [L sons; T children] of Israel, even though they ·worship [turn to] other gods and love to eat the raisin cakes [C food eaten at pagan temples].”
2 So I bought her for six ·ounces of silver [shekels] and ·ten bushels [L a homer and a lethek; C a homer was 5–6 bushels; a lethek was about half that] of barley. 3 Then I told her, “You must ·wait for [or live with] me for many days. You must not be a prostitute, and you must not have sexual relations with any other man. I will act the same way toward you.”
4 In the same way the ·people [L sons; T children] of Israel will live many days without a king or ·leader [prince], without sacrifices or holy stone pillars [C used in pagan worship; 2 Kin. 3:2; 10:26–28; 17:10], and without ·the holy vest [ephod; Ex. 28:6–14; Judg. 8:27] or ·an idol [household idols; L teraphim; Gen. 31:19]. 5 After this, the people of Israel will return and ·follow [seek] the Lord their God and ·the king from David’s family [L David their king; C an heir from David’s line]. In the last days they will ·turn in fear [come in reverence/awe] to the Lord, and he will bless them.