Hosea 6

A Call to Repentance

6Come, let us return to the Lord. ^r

For He has torn us, ^s

and He will heal us; ^t

He has wounded us,

and He will bind up our wounds. ^u

²He will revive us after two days, ^v

and on the third day He will raise us up

so we can live in His presence. ^w

³Let us strive to know the Lord. ^x

His appearance is as sure as the dawn. ^y

He will come to us like the rain, ^z

like the spring showers that water the land.

The Lord’s First Lament

⁴What am I going to do with you, Ephraim? ^a

What am I going to do with you, Judah?

Your loyalty is like the morning mist ^b

and like the early dew that vanishes.

⁵This is why I have used the prophets

to cut them down; ^cd

I have killed them with the words of My mouth.

My judgment strikes like lightning. ^e

⁶For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God ^frather than burnt offerings. ^g

⁷But they, like Adam, ^hhave violated the covenant; ⁱ

there they have betrayed Me. ^j

⁸Gilead is a city of evildoers, ^k

tracked with bloody footprints. ^l

⁹Like raiders who wait in ambush for someone, ^m

a band of priests murders on the road to Shechem. ⁿ

They commit atrocities. ^o

¹⁰I have seen something horrible ^pin the house of Israel:

Ephraim’s promiscuity is there; ^qIsrael is defiled.

¹¹A harvest is also appointed for you, Judah. ^r

When I ^sreturn My people from captivity, ^t