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Israel’s Need to Return to the Lord

Come, let us return to the Lord.
For he has torn us to pieces,
    but he will heal us.
    He has struck us,
    but he will bandage our wounds.
After two days he will revive us.
    On the third day he will raise us up,
    so that we may live in his presence.
Let us acknowledge the Lord.
    Let us pursue knowledge of the Lord.
    As surely as the sun rises,
    the Lord will appear.
    He will come to us like a heavy rain,
    like the spring rain that waters the earth.

God’s Grief Over Israel’s Impenitence

What am I going to do with you, Ephraim?
    What am I going to do with you, Judah?
    For your faithfulness[a] is like a morning mist,
    like early dew that disappears.
That is why I cut them to pieces by means of the prophets.
    I killed them with the words of my mouth.
    The judgments against you go forth like the light.
For I desire mercy,[b] and not sacrifice,
    and the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.
Like Adam,[c] they have broken the covenant.
    They acted treacherously against me there.
Gilead is a city of evildoers,
    stained with bloody footprints.
As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man,
    so do bands of priests.
    They commit murder on the road to Shechem.
    They have committed shameful crimes.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing.
    Ephraim practices sexual immorality there.
    Israel defiles itself.
11 Judah, also for you, a harvest has been appointed,
    when I restore the fortunes of my people.[d]

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:4 Or mercy
  2. Hosea 6:6 Or faithfulness
  3. Hosea 6:7 Or at Adam. We are aware of no act of covenant breaking at the city of Adam.
  4. Hosea 6:11 Or though I would rather restore my people from captivity. Some translations join this line with verse 7:1.