Hosea 6

1 'Come, 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.

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 strike, and bind us up.

2 After two days will He revive us, on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.

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

3 And let us know, eagerly strive to know the LORD, His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth 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 unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the dew that early passeth away.

What shall I do to you, Ephraim? What shall I do to you, 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 thy judgment goeth forth as the light.

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

6 For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather 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, it is covered with footprints of blood.

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

9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so doth the company of priests; they murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they commit enormity.

And your 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 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; there harlotry is found in Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

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

11 Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for thee! When I would turn the captivity of My people,

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