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.

In their tribulation, they will arise early to me. Come, let us return to the Lord.

2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

For he has seized us, and he will heal us. He will strike, and he will cure us.

3 Then shall we know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain unto the earth.

He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live in his sight. We will understand, and we will continue on, so that we may know the Lord. His landing place has been prepared like the first light of morning, and he will come to us like the early and the late rains of the land.

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 early dew it goeth away.

What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? Your mercy is like the morning mist, and like the dew passing away in the morning.

5 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.

Because of this, I have cut them with the prophets, I have slain them with the words of my mouth; and your opinions will depart like the light.

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

For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God more than holocausts.

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

But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; in this, they have been dishonest with me.

8 Gilead [is] a city of them that work iniquity, [and is] polluted with blood.

Gilead is a city that manufactures idols; it has been tripped up by family relations.

9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, [so] the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

And, like those who rob with skillful words, they, by conspiring with the priests, bring a death sentence to travelers on a pilgrimage from Shechem; for they have been performing evil deeds.

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

I have seen horrible things in the house of Israel; the fornications of Ephraim are there. Israel has been contaminated.

11 Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.

But you, Judah, set a harvest for yourself, while I reverse the captivity of my people.