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 unto the LORD: 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 before him.

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.”

And let us know, let us follow on to know the LORD; his going forth is sure as the morning: and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that 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 unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goeth early away.

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

Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are [as] the light that goeth forth.

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

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

7 But you, just like Adam, broke our agreement, there you were unfaithful to me.

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

8 Gilead is a city of evil people where footprints are tracked in blood.

Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, it is stained with 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.

And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they have committed lewdness.

10 I have seen in the house of Israel something totally disgusting: Ephraim engages in prostitution and Israel is sexually corrupt.

In the house of Israel I have seen an horrible thing: there whoredom is [found] in Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

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

Also, O Judah, there is an harvest appointed for thee, when I bring again the captivity of my people.