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 unto the LORD: 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 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 the LORD; his going forth is sure as the morning: and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that 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 unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that goeth early 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 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.

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 they like Adam have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

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

Gilead is a city of them that 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 lewdness.

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

In the house of Israel I have seen an horrible thing: there whoredom is [found] 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 an harvest appointed for thee, when I bring again the captivity of my people.