Hosea 6 (New International Version)

Hosea 6

Israel Unrepentant

 ¹ "Come, let us return to the LORD.
       He has torn us to pieces
       but he will heal us;
       he has injured us
       but he will bind up our wounds.

 ² After two days he will revive us;
       on the third day he will restore us,
       that we may live in his presence.

 ³ Let us acknowledge the LORD;
       let us press on to acknowledge him.
       As surely as the sun rises,
       he will appear;
       he will come to us like the winter rains,
       like the spring rains that water the earth."

 ⁴ "What can I do with you, Ephraim?
       What can I do with you, Judah?
       Your love is like the morning mist,
       like the early dew that disappears.

 ⁵ Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
       I killed you with the words of my mouth;
       my judgments flashed like lightning upon you.

 ⁶ For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
       and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

 ⁷ Like Adam, ^[a] they have broken the covenant—
       they were unfaithful to me there.

 ⁸ Gilead is a city of wicked men,
       stained with footprints of blood.

 ⁹ As marauders lie in ambush for a man,
       so do bands of priests;
       they murder on the road to Shechem,
       committing shameful crimes.

 ¹⁰ I have seen a horrible thing
       in the house of Israel.
       There Ephraim is given to prostitution
       and Israel is defiled.

 ¹¹ "Also for you, Judah,
       a harvest is appointed.
       "Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people,