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Hosea 6
International Children’s Bible
Hosea 6
International Children’s Bible
The People Are Not Faithful
6 You people say,
“Come, let’s go back to the Lord.
He has hurt us, but he will heal us.
He has wounded us, but he will bandage our wounds.
2 In a short while he will put new life in us.
We will not have to wait long for him to raise us up.
Then we may live in his presence.
3 Let’s learn about the Lord.
Let’s try hard to know who he is.
He will come to us
as surely as the dawn comes.
The Lord will come to us like the rain,
like the spring rain that waters the ground.”
4 The Lord says, “Israel, what should I do with you?
Judah, what should I do with you?
Your faithfulness is like a morning mist.
It lasts only as long as the dew in the morning.
5 I have warned you by my prophets
that I will kill you and destroy you.
My judgments will flash forth like lightning against you.
6 I want faithful love
more than I want animal sacrifices.
I want people to know me
more than I want burnt offerings.
7 But you have broken the agreement as Adam did.
You have been unfaithful to me.
8 Gilead is full of people who do evil.
It is covered with bloody footprints.
9 Some of the priests are like
robbers waiting in ambush.
They murder people on the way to Shechem.[a]
They do wicked crimes.
10 I have seen horrible things in Israel.
The people are unfaithful to God,
and Israel has become unclean.
11 “Judah, I have set a time to punish you also.
“I would like to give my people back their riches.
Footnotes
- 6:9 Shechem A city of safety where men could go for protection.
Hosea 6
New International Version
Hosea 6
New International Version
Israel Unrepentant
6 “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)
2 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.
3 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)”
4 “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)
5 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)
6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,(N)
and acknowledgment(O) of God rather than burnt offerings.(P)
7 As at Adam,[b] they have broken the covenant;(Q)
they were unfaithful(R) to me there.
8 Gilead is a city of evildoers,(S)
stained with footprints of blood.
9 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,
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New International Version (NIV) 
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