Osee 6

1 In their affliction they will seek me early, saying, Let us go, and return to the Lord our God; for he has torn, and will heal us; he will strike, and bind us up.

2 After two days he will heal us: in the third day we shall arise, and live before him, and shall know [him]:

3 let us follow on to know the Lord: we shall find him ready as the morning, and he will come to us as the early and latter rain to the earth.

4 What shall I do to you, Ephraim? What shall I do to you, Juda? whereas your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that goes away.

5 Therefore have I mown down your prophets; I have slain them with the word of my mouth: and my judgment shall go forth as the light.

6 For I will [have] mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than whole burnt offerings.

7 But they are as a man transgressing a covenant:

8 there the city Galaad despised me, working vanity, troubling water.

9 And your strength [is that] of a robber: the priests have hid the way, they have murdered [the people of] Sicima; for they have wrought iniquity in the house of Israel.

10 I have seen horrible [things] there, [even] the fornication of Ephraim: Israel and Juda are defiled;

11 begin together grapes for yourself, when I turn the captivity of my people.