Hosea 6
New International Version
Chapter overview
The people urge one another to return, trusting that God can heal and revive them. Yet their loyalty disappears like morning mist. God declares a desire for steadfast love and knowledge rather than sacrifice, while covenant breaking, violence, and priestly wrongdoing remain exposed.
RepentanceSteadfast LoveKnowledgeCovenant
1“Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.
2After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.
3Let 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, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
4“What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.
5Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth— then my judgments go forth like the sun.
6For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
7As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there.
8Gilead is a city of evildoers, stained with footprints of blood.
9As marauders lie in ambush for a victim, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, carrying out their wicked schemes.
10I have seen a horrible thing in Israel: There Ephraim is given to prostitution, Israel is defiled.
11“Also for you, Judah, a harvest is appointed. “Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people,
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