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Come and let us return to the Lord, for He has torn so that He may heal us; He has stricken so that He may bind us up.

After two days He will revive us (quicken us, give us life); on the third day He will raise us up that we may live before Him.(A)

Yes, let us know (recognize, be acquainted with, and understand) Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord [to appreciate, give heed to, and cherish Him]. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us as the [heavy] rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth.

O Ephraim, what shall I do with you? [says the Lord] O Judah, what shall I do with you? For your [wavering] love and kindness are like the night mist or like the dew that goes early away.

Therefore have I hewn down and smitten them by means of the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; My judgments [pronounced upon them by you prophets] are like the light that goes forth.

For I desire and delight in dutiful steadfast love and goodness, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of and acquaintance with God more than burnt offerings.(B)

But they, like [less-privileged] men and like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt faithlessly and treacherously with Me.

Gilead is a city of evildoers; it is tracked with bloody [footprints].

And as troops of robbers lie in wait for a man, so the company of priests murder on the road toward Shechem; yes, they commit villainy and outrages.

10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel! There harlotry and idolatry are found in Ephraim; Israel is defiled.

11 Also, O Judah, there is a harvest [of divine judgment] appointed for you; when I would return My people from their captivity [in which they are slaves to the misery brought on by their own sins],

Israel Unrepentant

“Come, let us return(A) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(B)
    but he will heal us;(C)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.(D)
After two days he will revive us;(E)
    on the third day(F) he will restore(G) us,
    that we may live in his presence.
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,(H)
    like the spring rains that water the earth.(I)

“What can I do with you, Ephraim?(J)
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.(K)
Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
    I killed you with the words of my mouth(L)
    then my judgments go forth like the sun.[a](M)
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,(N)
    and acknowledgment(O) of God rather than burnt offerings.(P)
As at Adam,[b] they have broken the covenant;(Q)
    they were unfaithful(R) to me there.
Gilead is a city of evildoers,(S)
    stained with footprints of blood.
As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,(T)
    so do bands of priests;
they murder(U) on the road to Shechem,
    carrying out their wicked schemes.(V)
10 I have seen a horrible(W) thing in Israel:
    There Ephraim is given to prostitution,
    Israel is defiled.(X)

11 “Also for you, Judah,
    a harvest(Y) is appointed.

“Whenever I would restore the fortunes(Z) of my people,

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
  2. Hosea 6:7 Or Like Adam; or Like human beings

A Call to Repentance

Come,(A) and let us return to the Lord;
For (B)He has torn, but (C)He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will [a]bind us up.
(D)After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
(E)Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established (F)as the morning;
(G)He will come to us (H)like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

Impenitence of Israel and Judah

“O Ephraim, what shall I do to you?
O Judah, what shall I do to you?
For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud,
And like the early dew it goes away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
I have slain them by (I)the words of My mouth;
And [b]your judgments are like light that goes forth.
For I desire (J)mercy[c] and (K)not sacrifice,
And the (L)knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

“But like [d]men they transgressed the covenant;
There they dealt treacherously with Me.
(M)Gilead is a city of evildoers
And [e]defiled with blood.
As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man,
So the company of (N)priests (O)murder on the way to Shechem;
Surely they commit (P)lewdness.
10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel:
There is the [f]harlotry of Ephraim;
Israel is defiled.
11 Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you,
When I return the captives of My people.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:1 Bandage
  2. Hosea 6:5 Or the judgments on you
  3. Hosea 6:6 Or faithfulness or loyalty
  4. Hosea 6:7 Or Adam
  5. Hosea 6:8 Lit. foot-tracked
  6. Hosea 6:10 Spiritual adultery

Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant

“Come, let us (A)return to the Lord;
    for (B)he has torn us, that he may heal us;
    he has struck us down, and (C)he will bind us up.
After two days (D)he will revive us;
    on the third day he will raise us up,
    that we may live before him.
(E)Let us know; (F)let us press on to know the Lord;
    (G)his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us (H)as the showers,
    (I)as the spring rains that water the earth.”

What shall I do with you, (J)O (K)Ephraim?
    What shall I do with you, O (L)Judah?
Your love is (M)like a morning cloud,
    (N)like the dew that goes early away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets;
    I have slain them (O)by the words of my mouth,
    and my judgment goes forth as the light.
For (P)I desire steadfast love[a] and not sacrifice,
    (Q)the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

But (R)like Adam they (S)transgressed the covenant;
    (T)there they dealt faithlessly with me.
(U)Gilead is a city of evildoers,
    (V)tracked with blood.
As robbers (W)lie in wait for a man,
    so the priests band together;
they murder on the way to (X)Shechem;
    they commit villainy.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing;
    (Y)Ephraim's whoredom is there; (Z)Israel is defiled.

11 For you also, O (AA)Judah, (AB)a harvest is appointed.

When (AC)I restore the fortunes of my people,

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:6 Septuagint mercy