The Response to God’s Rebuke

(A)Come, let us 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.
“He will (E)revive us after two days;
He will (F)raise us up on the third day,
That we may live before Him.
“So let us (G)know, let us press on to know the Lord.
His (H)going forth is as certain as the dawn;
And He will come to us like the (I)rain,
Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

What shall I do with you, O (J)Ephraim?
What shall I do with you, O Judah?
For your [b]loyalty is like a (K)morning cloud
And like the dew which goes away early.
Therefore I have (L)hewn 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 goes forth.
For (N)I delight in loyalty (O)rather than sacrifice,
And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
But (P)like [c]Adam they have (Q)transgressed the covenant;
There they have (R)dealt treacherously against Me.
(S)Gilead is a city of wrongdoers,
Tracked with (T)bloody footprints.
And as (U)raiders wait for a man,
So a band of priests (V)murder on the way to Shechem;
Surely they have committed [d](W)crime.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a (X)horrible thing;
Ephraim’s (Y)harlotry is there, Israel has defiled itself.
11 Also, O Judah, there is a (Z)harvest appointed for you,
When I (AA)restore the fortunes of My people.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:1 Lit struck
  2. Hosea 6:4 Or lovingkindness
  3. Hosea 6:7 Or men
  4. Hosea 6:9 Or lewdness

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