Hosea 6

New International Version

Israel Unrepentant

6 “Come, let us return^(A) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces^(B)
    but he will heal us;^(C)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.^(D)
²After two days he will revive us;^(E)
    on the third day^(F) he will restore^(G) 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,^(H)
    like the spring rains that water the earth.^(I)”

⁴“What can I do with you, Ephraim?^(J)
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.^(K)
⁵Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
    I killed you with the words of my mouth^(L)—
    then my judgments go forth like the sun.^[a]^(M)
⁶For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,^(N)
    and acknowledgment^(O) of God rather than burnt offerings.^(P)
⁷As at Adam,^[b] they have broken the covenant;^(Q)
    they were unfaithful^(R) to me there.
⁸Gilead is a city of evildoers,^(S)
    stained with footprints of blood.
⁹As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,^(T)
    so do bands of priests;
they murder^(U) on the road to Shechem,
    carrying out their wicked schemes.^(V)
¹⁰I have seen a horrible^(W) thing in Israel:
    There Ephraim is given to prostitution,
    Israel is defiled.^(X)