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, 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 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 he will revive us; he will raise us up on the third day, and we will 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.”

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 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.

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

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

For I desire faithfulness 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.

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

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

Gilead is a city of evildoers with footprints 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 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 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 a horrible thing; Ephraim's prostitution is there, and Israel has become unclean.

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

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