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, let us return to Yahweh. For he has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has injured us, but he will bandage 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.

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

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 know Yahweh; let us press on to know Yahweh. His coming out is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the land.”

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.

Ephraim, what will I do with you? Judah, what will I do with you? Your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early.

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.

So I have cut them to pieces by the prophets, I have killed them with the words of my mouth. Your decrees are like the light that shines out.

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

For I desire faithfulness 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.

Like Adam they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me.

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

Gilead is a city of evildoers with footprints 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 gangs of robbers wait for someone, so the priests band together to commit murder on the way to Shechem; they have committed shameful crimes.

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

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's prostitution is there, and Israel has become unclean.

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

For you also, Judah, a harvest has been appointed, when I will restore the fortunes of my people.