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A Call to Repentance

‘Come, let us return to the Lord;
    for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us;
    he has struck down, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
    on the third day he will raise us up,
    that we may live before him.
Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
    his appearing is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like the showers,
    like the spring rains that water the earth.’

Impenitence of Israel and Judah

What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?
    What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
    like the dew that goes away early.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
    I have killed them by the words of my mouth,
    and my[a] judgement goes forth as the light.
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.

But at[b] Adam they transgressed the covenant;
    there they dealt faithlessly with me.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:5 Gk Syr: Heb your
  2. Hosea 6:7 Cn: Heb like

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.

After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

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 early dew it goeth away.

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.

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

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

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“‘Come, let us return to the Lord; it is he who has torn us—he will heal us. He has wounded—he will bind us up. In just a couple of days,[a] or three at the most, he will set us on our feet again to live in his kindness! Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him, and he will respond to us as surely as the coming of dawn or the rain of early spring.’”

“O Ephraim and Judah, what shall I do with you? For your love vanishes like morning clouds, and disappears like dew. I sent my prophets to warn you of your doom; I have slain you with the words of my mouth, threatening you with death. Suddenly, without warning, my judgment will strike you as surely as day follows night.

“I don’t want your sacrifices—I want your love; I don’t want your offerings—I want you to know me.

“But like Adam, you broke my covenant; you refused my love.

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Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:2 In just a couple of days, literally, “In two days.”