Hosea 6
Expanded Bible
The People Are Not Faithful
6 “Come, let’s ·go back [return] to the Lord.
He has ·hurt us [torn us to pieces], but he will heal us.
He has wounded us, but he will ·bandage [bind up] our wounds.
2 ·In [After] two days he will ·put new life in [revive; restore] us;
on the third day he will raise us up [C in a short time]
so that we may live in his presence 3 and know him.
Let’s ·try [press on] to ·learn about [know] the Lord;
he will come to us as surely as the dawn comes.
He will come to us ·like rain [or as sure as the winter rains come],
like the ·spring [latter] rain that waters the ·ground [earth].”
4 The Lord says, “·Israel [L Ephraim; 4:17], what should I do with you?
Judah, what should I do with you?
Your faithfulness is like a morning mist,
like the dew that goes away early in the day.
5 I have ·warned you [L cut you into pieces; hewn you] by my prophets
that I will kill you with ·my words [L the words of my mouth].
My ·justice [judgment] comes out like ·bright light [or the morning dawn].
6 I ·want [desire; delight in] ·faithful love [mercy; lovingkindness]
·more than I want animal sacrifices [L and not sacrifice].
I want ·people to know me [the knowledge of God]
more than I want burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17].
7 But they ·have broken [transgressed] the ·agreement [covenant] as ·Adam did [or human beings did; or they did at Adamah; Josh. 3:16];
they have ·been unfaithful to [dealt treacherously with] me.
8 Gilead is a city of ·people who do evil [sinners; evildoers];
·their footprints are bloody [tracked with bloody footprints].
9 The ·priests [L company of priests] are like robbers ·waiting [lying in ambush] to attack people;
they murder people on the road to Shechem [C a city of refuge for someone who committed involuntary manslaughter; Josh. 20:7; 21:21; 1 Chr. 6:67]
and do wicked things.
10 I have seen horrible things in ·Israel [or the temple of Israel; L the house of Israel].
Look at ·Israel’s [L Ephraim’s; 4:17] prostitution;
Israel has become ·unclean [defiled].
11 “Judah, I have ·set [appointed] a harvest time for you
when I will ·make the lives of my people good again [restore the fortunes of my people; or return my people from captivity].
Hosea 6
New American Standard Bible
The Response to God’s Rebuke
6 “(A)Come, let’s return to the Lord.
For (B)He has torn us, but (C)He will heal us;
He has [a]wounded us, but He will (D)bandage us.
2 He will (E)revive us after two days;
He will (F)raise us up on the third day,
That we may live before Him.
3 So let’s (G)learn, let’s press on to know the Lord.
His (H)appearance is as sure as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the (I)rain,
As the spring rain waters the earth.”
4 What shall I do with you, (J)Ephraim?
What shall I do with you, Judah?
For your loyalty is like a (K)morning cloud,
And like the dew which goes away early.
5 Therefore I have (L)cut them in pieces by the prophets;
I have slain them by the (M)words of My mouth;
And the judgments on you are like the light that [b]shines.
6 For (N)I [c]desire loyalty (O)rather than sacrifice,
And the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
7 But (P)like [d]Adam they have (Q)violated the covenant;
There they have (R)dealt treacherously with Me.
8 (S)Gilead is a city of wrongdoers,
Tracked with (T)bloody footprints.
9 And as a (U)band of robbers lie in wait for a person,
So a band of priests (V)murder on the way to Shechem;
Certainly they have committed an act of (W)infamy.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a (X)horrible thing;
Ephraim’s (Y)infidelity is there, Israel has defiled itself.
11 Also, Judah, there is a (Z)harvest appointed for you,
When I (AA)restore the fortunes of My people.
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New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
