Hosea 3 ASV
Summary: In a second sign-act, Hosea is told to love and buy back an adulterous woman — understood as Gomer again — for silver and barley, illustrating the LORD's persistent love for Israel despite her turning to other gods. He requires her to live with him many days without playing the harlot or having a husband, symbolizing a coming period in which Israel will exist without king, prince, sacrifice, pillar, ephod, or household gods. Only afterward will the Israelites return and seek the LORD their God and David their king, coming in awe to his goodness "in the latter days" (v. 5).
1And Jehovah said unto me, Go again, love a woman beloved of her friend, and an adulteress, even as Jehovah loveth the children of Israel, though they turn unto other gods, and love cakes of raisins.
2So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley;
3and I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be any man’s wife: so will I also be toward thee.
4For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim:
5afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek Jehovah their God, and David their king, and shall come with fear unto Jehovah and to his goodness in the latter days.
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