Hosea 6

1 Come, and let us return to the LORD: for he has torn, and he will heal us; he has smitten, and he will bind us up.

In their affliction they will seek me early, saying, Let us go, and return to the Lord our God; for he has torn, and will heal us; he will smite, and bind us up.

2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

After two days he will heal us: in the third day we shall arise, and live before him, and shall know [him]:

3 Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain to the earth.

let us follow on to know the Lord: we shall find him ready as the morning, and he will come to us as the early and latter rain to the earth.

4 O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away.

What shall I do unto thee, Ephraim? What shall I do to thee, Juda? whereas your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that goes away.

5 Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and your judgments are as the light that goes forth.

Therefore have I mown down your prophets; I have slain them with the word of my mouth: and my judgment shall go forth as the light.

6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

For I will [have] mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than whole-burnt-offerings.

7 But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

But they are as a man transgressing a covenant:

8 Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

there the city Galaad despised me, working vanity, troubling water.

9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

And thy strength [is that] of a robber: the priests have hid the way, they have murdered [the people of] Sicima; for they have wrought iniquity in the house of Israel.

10 I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the prostitution of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

I have seen horrible [things] there, [even] the fornication of Ephraim: Israel and Juda are defiled;

11 Also, O Judah, he has set an harvest for you, when I returned the captivity of my people.

begin together grapes for thyself, when I turn the captivity of my people.