Hosea

Hosea’s marriage to Gomer becomes a living parable of Israel’s spiritual adultery. Judgment is real, yet God will allure his people and heal their apostasy.

Author: Hosea
Date: c. 755–715 BC
Theme: Unfaithful Israel and the steadfast love of God.
Key verses: Hosea 6:6; Hosea 14:4
Catholic Public Domain Version

Hosea 3

1And the Lord said to me: “Go yet again, and love a woman, beloved by a friend, yet an adulteress, for so does the Lord love the sons of Israel, yet they look to strange gods, and love the seeds of grapes.” 2And I contracted her to me for fifteen silver coins, and for a basket of barley, and half a basket of barley. 3And I said to her, “You will wait for me for many days. You will not commit fornication, and you will not be with a man. But I also will wait for you.” 4For the sons of Israel will sit for many days without a king, and without a leader, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without priestly vestments, and without religious symbols. 5And after this, the sons of Israel will return, and they will seek the Lord their God and David their king, and they will be terrified by the Lord and by his goodness, in the last days.

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