Hosea’s Second Symbolic Marriage

¹Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a ^[a]woman who is loved by her ^[b]husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” ² So I bought her for myself for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer and a ^[c]half of barley. ³ Then I said to her, “You shall stay with me for many days. You shall not play the harlot, nor shall you have a ^[d]man; so I will also be toward you.” ⁴ For the sons of Israel will remain for many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or sacred pillar and without ephod or ^[e]household idols. ⁵ Afterward the sons of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God and David their king; and they will come trembling to the Lord and to His goodness in the last days.