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 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, that we may live in His presence.

After two days will he revive us, 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.

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 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.

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 hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth, and My judgments go forth like 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, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather 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 transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.

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 evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood.

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

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: Ephraim practices prostitution there, and Israel is defiled.

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

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

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