1‘Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.2After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.3Let 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, like the spring rains that water the earth.’4‘What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.5Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth – then my judgments go forth like the sun.[1]6For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.7As at Adam,[2] they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there.8Gilead is a city of evildoers, stained with footprints of blood.9As marauders lie in ambush for a victim, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, carrying out their wicked schemes.10I have seen a horrible thing in Israel: there Ephraim is given to prostitution, Israel is defiled.11‘Also for you, Judah, a harvest is appointed. ‘Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people,
Hosea 6
King James Version
1Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.3Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.4O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.5Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.7But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.8Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.9And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.10I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.11Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.