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 hath torn, and he will heal us; He hath 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 will he revive us, On the third day he will raise us up, And we shall live in his presence,

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.”

Let us, therefore, know him; Let us ever strive to know Jehovah, His coming forth is sure as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter rain which watereth 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 like the morning cloud, And like the early dew, which vanisheth away.

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 hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth, And my judgments have gone forth like the light.

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

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

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

But they, after the manner of men, have transgressed the covenant; Even therein have they dealt unfaithfully with me.

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

Gilead is a city of them that do iniquity; She is full of footsteps of 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.

As troops of robbers lying in wait for a man, so is the company of priests; They murder in the way to Shechem; Yea, they commit heinous wickedness.

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; There Ephraim committeth fornication, Israel is polluted.

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

For thee also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed.