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.

[The Israeli people say, ] “Come, let’s return to Yahweh! He has caused [us] to be injured, but he will heal us. He has caused [us] to be wounded, but [it is as though] he will put bandages on our wounds [MET].

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 a very short time he will revive us; in less than three days he will restore us in order 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.

We must try to know Yahweh; [if we do that, ] he will come [and help] us, as surely as the sun rises [every morning], as surely as rain falls every winter/cold season, and as surely as the rain falls again (in the springtime/at the end of the cold season).”

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.

[But Yahweh knows they are insincere; ] [so he says to them, ] “You [people of] Israel, and you [people of] Judah, [I do not know] [RHQ] what I should do to you. Your being faithful [to me will disappear as quickly] as [SIM] the morning mist [disappears], like [SIM] the dew [on the ground] that disappears quickly [when the sun shines].

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.

I warned [HYP] you by [the messages that I gave to] the prophets, [but you did not pay attention to my messages]. Therefore I will completely destroy you; the punishment that I give you will strike you like lightning.

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

I want [my people] to faithfully love [me] more than [I want them to offer] sacrifices [to me]; [I want them] to know me more than [I want them to] completely burn sacrifices [on the altar].

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

But they have refused to obey my agreement, [just] like Adam did; they have not been faithful to me.

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

Gilead is a city [full] of people who do wicked things; [in the streets] are the bloody footprints [of those who have murdered others].

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

The priests are like [SIM] bandits who wait (in ambushes/along the road) to attack people; they murder [people who are walking] on the road to Shechem, and they commit other disgraceful crimes.

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

I have seen horrible things [being done] in Israel [MTY]. The people have abandoned me [like prostitutes who have abandoned their husbands] [MET]; [so the people of] Israel have become unacceptable to me.

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

And you [people of] Judah, I have appointed a time when I will punish [MET] you, too. Whenever I wanted to enable my people to prosper again,”