Hosea 3

Then God said to me, “Go and show to your wife that you still love her, even though she has been committing adultery with another man who is her lover. That will show that I still love the people of Israel, even though they worship other gods and love to eat raisin cakes {in feasts that honor those gods}.”

So I bought her back for myself for 15 pieces of silver and 335 liters of barley.

Then I said to her, “You will live {here} with me for a long time. During that time, you must not be a prostitute, and you must not have sex with any man, and I will do the same concerning you.” \*

This will show that {in a similar way,} the Israelites will live for a long time without a king, without leaders, without sacrifices, without sacred stone pillars, without a sacred vest for a priest, and {without} household idols.

But later, the people of Israel will again worship God their God and want to obey him and their king who is a descendant of King David. In that future time, they will revere God and marvel at how he has blessed them. \*