Hosea 6

1 “Come on! Let's go back to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces, but now he will heal us. He has struck us down, but now 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 In two days he will heal us; after three days he will raise us up so we can 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 Let's get to know the Lord, really strive to know him, and he will appear to us as surely as the sun will rise; he will come to us as certainly as the spring rains fall on 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 with you? Judah, what shall I do with you? Your love disappears like mist at dawn; it vanishes like dew in the morning.

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 So I cut you down through the prophets; I killed you with my words. My judgment shines out like a light.

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 I want your true love, not your sacrifices; I want you to know me, not your burnt offerings.

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

7 But you, just like Adam, broke our agreement, there you 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 evil people where footprints are tracked in blood.

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

9 Priests are like a gang of bandits, lying in wait to ambush travelers on the road. They commit murder in Shechem, carrying out wicked 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 I have seen in the house of Israel something totally disgusting: Ephraim engages in prostitution and Israel is sexually corrupt.

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

11 And as for you, Judah, your harvest-time has been set! When I restore the fortunes of my people,

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