Hosea 6

1 [The Israeli people say, ] “Come, let’s return to Yahweh! He has caused [us] to be injured, but he will heal us. He has caused [us] to be wounded, but [it is as though] he will put bandages on our wounds [MET].

saying, ‘Come let us return to the Lord, for he has torn us but he will heal us, he has injured us but he will bandage our wounds,

2 After a very short time he will revive us; in less than three days he will restore us in order that we may live in his presence.

he will revive in a couple of days, on the third day he will raise us up again, to live in his presence.

3 We must try to know Yahweh; [if we do that, ] he will come [and help] us, as surely as the sun rises [every morning], as surely as rain falls every winter/cold season, and as surely as the rain falls again (in the springtime/at the end of the cold season).”

Let us know, let us eagerly seek to know the Lord. His coming is as sure as the sunrise. He will come to us like the winter rain, as the spring rain that waters the earth.’

4 [But Yahweh knows they are insincere; ] [so he says to them, ] “You [people of] Israel, and you [people of] Judah, [I do not know] [RHQ] what I should do to you. Your being faithful [to me will disappear as quickly] as [SIM] the morning mist [disappears], like [SIM] the dew [on the ground] that disappears quickly [when the sun shines].

What can I make of you, Ephraim! What can I make of you, Judah! Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew which early goes away.

5 I warned [HYP] you by [the messages that I gave to] the prophets, [but you did not pay attention to my messages]. Therefore I will completely destroy you; the punishment that I give you will strike you like lightning.

That is why I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of my mouth. My judgment is like the light that goes forth,

6 I want [my people] to faithfully love [me] more than [I want them to offer] sacrifices [to me]; [I want them] to know me more than [I want them to] completely burn sacrifices [on the altar].

for it is love that I delight in and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God and not burnt offerings.

7 But they have refused to obey my agreement, [just] like Adam did; they have not been faithful to me.

But they after the manner of men have transgressed the covenant, there they have played me false.

8 Gilead is a city [full] of people who do wicked things; [in the streets] are the bloody footprints [of those who have murdered others].

Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with bloody footprints,

9 The priests are like [SIM] bandits who wait (in ambushes/along the road) to attack people; they murder [people who are walking] on the road to Shechem, and they commit other disgraceful crimes.

and as bandits lie in wait for a man, so a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem. How terrible is the evil they do!

10 I have seen horrible things [being done] in Israel [MTY]. The people have abandoned me [like prostitutes who have abandoned their husbands] [MET]; [so the people of] Israel have become unacceptable to me.

In Bethel I have seen a horrible thing. There Ephraim plays the prostitute, Israel is defiled.

11 And you [people of] Judah, I have appointed a time when I will punish [MET] you, too. Whenever I wanted to enable my people to prosper again,”

Judah for you also a harvest is set. When I would restore the fortunes of my people,