Hosea 6

1 Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.

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

2 After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.

He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his presence.

3 So let us know— let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.

And let us feel it, that we may strive to know the Lord; bright as the morning-dawn is his rising; and he will come as the rain unto us, as the latter rain that maketh fruitful the earth.”

4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes.

What shall I do unto thee, O Ephraim? what shall I do unto thee, O Judah? for your piety is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that passeth away.

5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth, and My judgments go forth like lightning.

Therefore did I hew [them] down by means of the prophets; I slew them by the words of my mouth: and thy punishments go forth like the light.

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

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

7 But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.

But they, like an ordinary man, have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

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

Gil'ad is become a city of workers of wickedness, is full of traces of blood.

9 Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests; they murder on the way to Shechem; surely they have committed atrocities.

And as troops that lie in wait for a man, so is the band of priests, they murder on the way in unison; for they commit scandalous deeds.

10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing: Ephraim practices prostitution there, and Israel is defiled.

On the house of Israel have I seen a horrible thing: there is lewdness in Ephraim, Israel is become defiled.

11 Also for you, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore My people from captivity.

Also for thee, O Judah, will a harvest be prepared, when I bring back the captivity of my people.