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Chapter 6

    “Come, let us return to the Lord,(A)
For it is he who has torn, but he will heal us;
    he has struck down, but he will bind our wounds.
He will revive us after two days;
    on the third day[a] he will raise us up,(B)
    to live in his presence.
Let us know, let us strive to know the Lord;
    as certain as the dawn is his coming.
He will come to us like the rain,
    like spring rain that waters the earth.”(C)

What can I do with you, Ephraim?
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your loyalty is like morning mist,
    like the dew that disappears early.
For this reason I struck them down through the prophets,
    I killed them by the words of my mouth;[b](D)
    my judgment shines forth like the light.
For it is loyalty that I desire, not sacrifice,
    and knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.(E)

Further Crimes of Israel

But they, at Adam,[c] violated the covenant;
    there they betrayed me.

Gilead[d] is a city of evildoers,
    tracked with blood.
Like brigands lying in wait
    is the band of priests.
They murder on the road to Shechem,[e]
    indeed they commit a monstrous crime.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing:
    there is found Ephraim’s prostitution,
    Israel is defiled.
11 For you also, Judah,
    a harvest[f] has been appointed!

Footnotes

  1. 6:2 After two days; on the third day: presumptuous Israel expects that soon God will renew them (cf. Ez 37).
  2. 6:5 The word of God proclaimed by the prophets is effective, it accomplished what it promised: punishment.
  3. 6:7 At Adam: the violation of the covenant at Adam is mentioned nowhere else in the Bible. The place Adam, the location of which is unknown, may be referred to in Jos 3:16.
  4. 6:8 Gilead: city in Transjordan (Gn 31:46–48; 2 Kgs 15:25).
  5. 6:9 Shechem: an important ancient religious and political center (Jos 24).
  6. 6:11 Harvest: God’s judgment, when Judah will reap what it has sown.

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