For the children of Israel shall abide many days without king, and without prince, and without sacrifice, and without sacred stone, and without ephod or idols.
"King ... prince, sacrifice ... pillar, ephod or teraphim ..." Despite there being three pairs here, only the last is marked by a conjunction.  Scholars are sharply divided between two views.  McKeating and others felt that all of the things mentioned here were legitimate institutions denied to Israel during the period of waiting;[22] while others as firmly suppose that none of these things was actually legitimate, even the institution of the king being viewed, not as the will of God, but as God's rejection (1 Samuel 8).  The truth would appear to be that Hosea simply means that none of these things, whether legitimate, or illegitimate, would be available for Israel during the days of their captivity.  This would appear to be supported by the fact that Gomer was denied intercourse, whether through harlotry, or through normal relationship with a husband, the type thus strongly suggesting the meaning of the antitype.  Keil explained this scrambling of the legitimate and illegitimate thus: