Hosea 6

1 '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.

'Come, and we turn back unto Jehovah, For He hath torn, and He doth heal us, He doth smite, and He bindeth us up.

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

He doth revive us after two days, In the third day He doth raise us up, And we live before Him.

3 And let us know, eagerly strive 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.'

And we know — we pursue to know Jehovah, As the dawn prepared is His going forth, And He cometh in as a shower to us, As gathered rain — sprinkling earth.'

4 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 early passeth away.

What do I do to thee, O Ephraim? What do I do to thee, O Judah? Your goodness [is] as a cloud of the morning, And as dew rising early — going.

5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; and thy judgment goeth forth as the light.

Therefore I have hewed by prophets, I have slain them by sayings of My mouth, And My judgments to the light goeth forth.

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

For kindness I desired, and not sacrifice, And a knowledge of God above burnt-offerings.

7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt treacherously against Me.

And they, as Adam, transgressed a covenant, There they dealt treacherously against me.

8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, it is covered with footprints of blood.

Gilead [is] a city of workers of iniquity, Slippery from blood.

9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so doth the company of priests; they murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they commit enormity.

And as bands do wait for a man, A company of priests do murder — the way to Shechem, For wickedness they have done.

10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; there harlotry is found in Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing, There [is] the whoredom of Ephraim — defiled is Israel.

11 Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for thee! When I would turn the captivity of My people,

Also, O Judah, appointed is a harvest to thee, In My turning back [to] the captivity of My people!