Hosea 6

1 “Come! Let’s return to the LORD; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, and he will bind up our wounds.

“Come, and let us return to Jehovah! For he hath torn, and he will heal us; He hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

2 After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him.

After two days will he revive us, On the third day he will raise us up, And we shall live in his presence,

3 Let’s acknowledge the LORD. Let’s press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, the LORD will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”

Let us, therefore, know him; Let us ever strive to know Jehovah, His coming forth is sure as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter rain which watereth the earth.”

4 “Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

O Ephraim, what shall I do to thee? O Judah, what shall I do to thee? For your goodness is like the morning cloud, And like the early dew, which vanisheth away.

5 Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.

Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, And my judgments have gone forth like the light.

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

For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.

7 But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me there.

But they, after the manner of men, have transgressed the covenant; Even therein have they dealt unfaithfully with me.

8 Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood.

Gilead is a city of them that do iniquity; She is full of footsteps of blood.

9 As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder on the path toward Shechem, committing shameful crimes.

As troops of robbers lying in wait for a man, so is the company of priests; They murder in the way to Shechem; Yea, they commit heinous wickedness.

10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled.

I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel; There Ephraim committeth fornication, Israel is polluted.

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

For thee also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed.