1The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.”
1Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love 3:1 I.e., Gomera woman who is loved by her3:1 Lit companionhusband, yet is committing adultery, as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love 3:1 Used in idolatryraisin cakes.”
1Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”
1Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman (3:1 The ambiguous wording might be interpreted as referring to a different woman, but this time Hosea is told only to love her, not to take, i.e. marry her. Also, the application of the symbolism to God’s relationship with Israel seems to depend upon the woman’s being Gomer. The purpose of the ambiguities probably is to reflect the emotional estrangement between Hosea and Gomer and the contempt that she deserved for her behavior. Matthew’s anonymous reference to Bathsheba literally as “wife of Uriah” (Matt 1:6).Gomer) who is beloved by her husband and yet is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the 3:1 See note 1:10.children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love the raisin cakes [used in the feasts in pagan worship].”
1Then the Lord said to me, “Go show love to your wife again, though she is loved by another3:1 Or Go show love to a woman who is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love to offer raisin cakes to idols.3:1 Literally and love raisin cakes”
1The Lord said to me, “Go. Show your love to your wife again. She is loved by another man. And she has committed adultery. But I want you to love her just as I love the people of Israel. They turn to other gods. And they love to offer raisin cakes to Baal and eat them. In spite of that, I love my people.”