Hosea 6

1 [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].

“Come! Let’s return to the LORD; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, and he will bind up our wounds.

2 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.

After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him.

3 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).”

Let’s acknowledge the LORD. Let’s press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, the LORD will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”

4 [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].

“Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

5 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.

Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgements are like a flash of lightning.

6 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].

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

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

But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me there.

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

Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood.

9 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.

As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder on the path towards Shechem, committing shameful crimes.

10 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.

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled.

11 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,”

“Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.