Hosea 6

1 “Come, let us return to Yahweh. For he has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us; he has injured us, but he will bandage our wounds.

Come, and let us return to Jehovah, for he has torn, and he will heal us. He has smitten, and he will bind us up.

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

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

3 Let us know Yahweh; let us press on to know Yahweh. His coming out is as sure as the dawn; he will come to us like the showers, like the spring rains that water the land.”

And let us know, let us follow on to know Jehovah. His going forth is sure as the morning, and he will come to us as the rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth.

4 Ephraim, what will I do with you? Judah, what will I do with you? Your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early.

O Ephraim, what shall I do to thee? O Judah, what shall I do to thee? For your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goes away early.

5 So I have cut them to pieces by the prophets, I have killed them with the words of my mouth. Your decrees are like the light that shines out.

Therefore I have hewed them by the prophets. I have slain them by the words of my mouth. And thy judgments are as the light that goes forth.

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

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

7 Like Adam they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me.

But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant. There they have dealt treacherously against me.

8 Gilead is a city of evildoers with footprints of blood.

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

9 As gangs of robbers wait for someone, so the priests band together to commit murder on the way to Shechem; they have committed shameful crimes.

And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem. Yea, they have committed iniquity.

10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim's prostitution is there, and Israel has become unclean.

I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel. Whoredom is there in Ephraim; Israel is defiled.

11 For you also, Judah, a harvest has been appointed, when I will restore the fortunes of my people.

Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for thee when I bring back the captivity of my people.