God's New Bible

The Prophet Hosea

King James Version 1769 including Apocrypha

- Chapter 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.
2
After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
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 unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto 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 early dew it goeth away.(a)
5
Therefore 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.(b)
6
For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7
But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.(c)
8
Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.(d)
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.(e) (f)
10
I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.
11
Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.

Footnotes

(a)6:4 goodness: or, mercy, or, kindness
(b)6:5 and…: or, that thy judgments might be, etc
(c)6:7 men: or, Adam
(d)6:8 polluted: or, cunning for
(e)6:9 by…: Heb. with one shoulder, or, to Shechem
(f)6:9 lewdness: or, enormity