The prophet is commanded again to love an adulteress; to signify God's
love to the synagogue. The wretched state of the Jews for a long time,
till at last they shall be converted.
3:1. And the Lord said to me: Go yet again, and love a woman beloved of
her friend, and an adulteress: as the Lord loveth the children of
Israel, and they look to strange gods, and love the husks of the grapes.
3:2. And I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for a core
of barley, and for half a core of barley.
3:3. And I said to her: Thou shalt wait for me many days: thou shalt not
play the harlot, and thou shalt be no man's, and I also will wait for
thee.
3:4. For the children of Israel shall sit many days without king, and
without prince, and without sacrifice, and without altar, and without
ephod, and without theraphim.
Theraphim... Images or representations.
3:5. And after this the children of Israel shall return and shall seek
the Lord, their God, and David, their king: and they shall fear the
Lord, and his goodness, in the last days.
David their king... That is, Christ, who is of the house of David.