Hosea 6

1 Come, and let vs returne to the Lord: for he hath spoyled, and he will heale vs: he hath wounded vs, and he will binde vs vp.

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.

2 After two dayes will he reuiue vs, and in the third day he will raise vs vp, and we shall liue in his sight.

After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.

3 Then shall we haue knowledge, and indeuour our selues to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shall come vnto vs as the raine, and as the latter raine vnto the earth.

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.

4 O Ephraim, what shall I doe vnto thee? O Iudah, how shall I intreate thee? for your goodnesse is as a morning cloude, and as the morning dewe it goeth away.

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.

5 Therefore haue I cut downe by the Prophets: I haue slaine them by the wordes of my mouth, and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth forth.

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.

6 For I desired mercie, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more then burnt offrings.

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

7 But they like men haue transgressed the couenant: there haue they trespassed against me.

But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.

8 Gilead is a citie of them that worke iniquitie, and is polluted with blood.

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

9 And as the eues waite for a man, so the companie of Priestes murder in the way by consent: for they worke mischiefe.

Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests; they murder on the way to Shechem; surely they have committed atrocities.

10 I haue seene vileny in the house of Israel: there is ye whoredome of Ephraim: Israel is defiled.

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

11 Yea, Iudah hath set a plant for thee, whiles I woulde returne ye captiuitie of my people.

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