God's Love Offers Hope
1 Once again the Lord spoke to me. And this time he said, “Hosea, fall in love with an unfaithful woman who has a lover. Do this to show that I love the people of Israel, even though they worship idols and enjoy the offering cakes made with fruit.”
2 So I paid 15 pieces of silver and about 150 kilograms of grain for such a woman. 3 Then I said, “Now you are mine! You will have to remain faithful to me, though it will be a long time before we sleep together.”
4 It will also be a long time before Israel has a king or before sacrifices are offered at the temple or before there is any way to get guidance from God. 5 But later, Israel will turn back to the Lord their God and to David their king. At that time they will come to the Lord with fear and trembling, and he will be good to them.
1 Then said the Lord to me, Goe yet, and loue a woman (beloued of her husband, and was an harlot) according to the loue of the Lord toward the children of Israel: yet they looked to other gods, and loued the wine bottels. 2 So I bought her to me for fifteene pieces of siluer, and for an homer of barlie and an halfe homer of barlie. 3 And I said vnto her, Thou shalt abide with me many dayes: thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt be to none other man, and I will be so vnto thee. 4 For the children of Israel shall remaine many dayes without a King and without a prince, and without an offering, and without an image, and without an Ephod and without Teraphim. 5 Afterward shall the children of Israel conuert, and seeke the Lord their God, and Dauid their King, and shall feare the Lord, and his goodnes in the latter dayes.