Hosea 6

¹ Come , let us return to the Lord ; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

² After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.

³ Let us know ; let us press on to know the Lord ; his going out is sure as the dawn ; he will come to us as the showers , as the spring rains that water the earth .

⁴ What shall I do with you, O Ephraim ? What shall I do with you, O Judah ? Your love is like a morning cloud , like the dew that goes early away .

⁵ Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets ; I have slain them by the words of my mouth , and my judgment goes forth as the light .

⁶ For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice , the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings .

⁷ But like Adam they transgressed the covenant ; there they dealt faithlessly with me.

⁸ Gilead is a city of evildoers , tracked with blood .

⁹ As robbers lie in wait for a man , so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem ; they commit villainy .

¹⁰ In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing ; Ephraim’s whoredom is there ; Israel is defiled .

¹¹ For you also , O Judah , a harvest is appointed , when I restore the fortunes of my people .

¹ “Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.

² After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.

³ Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”

⁴ “What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.

⁵ Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth— then my judgments go forth like the sun.

⁶ For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

⁷ As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there.

⁸ Gilead is a city of evildoers, stained with footprints of blood.

⁹ As marauders lie in ambush for a victim, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, carrying out their wicked schemes.

¹⁰ I have seen a horrible thing in Israel: There Ephraim is given to prostitution, Israel is defiled.

¹¹ “Also for you, Judah, a harvest is appointed. “Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people,

¹ Come, and let us return unto the Lord : for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

² After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

³ Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord : his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

⁴ O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

⁵ Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth : and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

⁶ For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

⁷ But they like men have transgressed the covenant : there have they dealt treacherously against me.

⁸ Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

⁹ And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent : for they commit lewdness.

¹⁰ I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel : there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

¹¹ Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people. Hosea 5 Books Hosea 7