Hosea 6:1-11
God calls Israel to return to Him and promises healing and restoration after a period of suffering. He contrasts His desire for mercy with their sacrifices and emphasizes the importance of knowing God. The chapter also highlights the corruption and idolatry within Israel, including among its leaders.
This chapter is notable because it contains some of the most well-known and influential passages in the Old Testament, including Hosea's call to repentance and his critique of Israel's idolatrous practices. The chapter has also been interpreted in different ways across various Christian traditions due to its complex and often contradictory messages.
1Come, 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.
2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
3Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.
4O 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 early dew it goeth away.
5Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
8Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.
9And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.
10I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.
11Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.