The Redeemed Wife
Hosea 3
The Lord instructs Hosea again to love a woman given to adultery, and Hosea buys her for a price and requires her to wait for him many days without going after other men. This is explained as a picture of Israel, who will remain many days without king, prince, sacrifice, or altar, but who will afterward return and seek the Lord their God and David their king in the latter days.
About these editions
The Septuagint (LXX) in Greek, with Charles Thomson’s 1808 and Sir Lancelot Brenton’s 1851 English translations, set beside the King James Version and the Jewish Masoretic text (JPS 1917) where they align, so you can compare the Greek and the Hebrew. All public domain; choose which to show with the controls above.
Thomson 1808Septuagint
Brenton 1851Septuagint
Greek · BrentonSeptuagint
KJV 1769Masoretic
JPS 1917Masoretic
1
ThomsonAGAIN the Lord said to me, Still go and love a woman who loveth wickedness, even an adulteress, as God loveth the children of Israel, though they look to strange gods and love cakes with dried grapes.
BrentonAnd the Lord said to me, Go yet, and love a woman that loves evil things, and an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, and they have respect to strange gods, and love cakes of dried grapes.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπε, Κύριος πρὸς μὲ, ἔτι πορεύθητι, καὶ ἀγάπησον γυναῖκα ἀγαπῶσαν πονηρὰ, καὶ μοιχαλὶν, καθὼς ἀγαπᾷ ὁ Θεὸς τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπιβλέπουσιν ἐπὶ θεοὺς αλλοτρίους, καὶ φιλοῦσι πέμματα μετὰ σταφίδος.
KJVThen said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.
JPSAnd the LORD said unto me: ‘Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend and an adulteress, even as the LORD loveth the children of Israel, though they turn unto other gods, and love cakes of raisins.
2
ThomsonSo I hired one for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a gomar of barley and a nebel of wine,
BrentonSo I hired her to myself for fifteen pieces of silver, and a homer of barley, and a flagon of wine.
GreekΚαὶ ἐμισθωσάμην ἐμαυτῷ πεντεκαίδεκα ἀργυρίου, καὶ γομὸρ κριθῶν, καὶ νέβελ οἴνου.
KJVSo I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:
JPSSo I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer of barley, and a half-homer of barley;
3
Thomsonand said to her, Thou shalt continue many days for me and shalt not play the harlot nor have commerce with man, then I will be for thee.
BrentonAnd I said unto her, Thou shalt wait for me many days; and thou shalt not commit fornication, neither shalt thou be for another man; and I will be for thee.
GreekΚαὶ εἶπα πρὸς αὐτὴν, ἡμέρας πολλὰς καθήσῃ ἐπʼ ἐμοὶ, καὶ οὐ μὴ πορνεύσῃς, οὐδὲ μὴ γένῃ ἀνδρὶ, καὶ ἐγὼ ἐπὶ σοί.
KJVAnd I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.
JPSand I said unto her: ‘Thou shalt sit solitary for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be any man’s wife; nor will I be thine.’
4
ThomsonFor the children of Israel shall continue many days without a king and without a chief, and without a sacrifice and without an altar and without a priesthood, and without manifestations,
BrentonFor the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an altar, and without a priesthood, and without manifestations.
GreekΔιότι ἡμέρας πολλὰς καθήσονται οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ, οὐκ ὄντος βασιλέως, οὐδὲ ὄντος ἄρχοντος, οὐδὲ οὔσης θυσίας, οὐδὲ ὄντος θυσιαστηρ ίου, οὐδὲ ἱερατείας, οὐδὲ δήλων.
KJVFor the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:
JPSFor the children of Israel shall sit solitary many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without pillar, and without ephod or teraphim;
5
Thomsonand afterwards the children of Israel will return and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and will be amazed at the Lord and at His goodness in the last days.
BrentonAnd afterward shall the children of Israel return, and shall seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall be amazed at the Lord and at his goodness in the latter days.
GreekΚαὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπιστρέψουσιν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ ἐπιζητήσουσι Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν, καὶ Δαυὶδ τὸν βασιλέα αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐκστήσονται ἐπὶ τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐπʼ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν.
KJVAfterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.
JPSafterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall come trembling unto the LORD and to His goodness in the end of days.