Hosea 6

1 In their affliction they will rise early to me: Come, and let us return to the Lord:

saying, “Come let us return to the Lord, for he has torn us but he will heal us, he has injured us but he will bandage our wounds,

2 For he hath taken us, and he will heal us: he will strike, and he will cure us.

he will revive in a couple of days, on the third day he will raise us up again, to live in his presence.

3 He will revive us after two days: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. We shall know, and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord. His going forth is prepared as the morning light, and he will come to us as the early and the latter rain to the earth.

Let us know, let us eagerly seek to know the Lord. His coming is as sure as the sunrise. He will come to us like the winter rain, as the spring rain that waters the earth.”

4 What shall I do to thee, O Ephraim? what shall I do to thee, O Juda? your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goeth away in the morning.

What can I make of you, Ephraim! What can I make of you, Judah! Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew which early goes away.

5 For this reason have I hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments shall go forth as the light.

That is why I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth. My judgment is like the light that goes forth,

6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts.

for it is love that I delight in and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God and not burnt offerings.

7 But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant, there have they dealt treacherously against me.

But they after the manner of men have transgressed the covenant, there they have played me false.

8 Galaad is a city of workers of idols, supplanted with blood.

Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with bloody footprints,

9 And like the jaws of highway robbers, they conspire with the priests who murder in the way those that pass out Sichem: for they have wrought wickedness.

and as bandits lie in wait for a man, so a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem. How terrible is the evil they do!

10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: the fornications of Ephraim there: Israel is defiled.

In Bethel I have seen a horrible thing. There Ephraim plays the prostitute, Israel is defiled.

11 And thou also, O Juda, set thee a harvest, when I shall bring back captivity of my people.

Judah for you also a harvest is set. When I would restore the fortunes of my people,