otcanon
Hosea 6
Jehovah addresses Ephraim and Judah together, exposing the gap between their covenant speech and their covenant conduct. Verse 2's 'third day' resurrection language frames the nation's hoped-for revival as a pattern of death and raising — the morning-rain of Jehovah's going forth meets a people whose goodness evaporates at dawn. The indictment sharpens: the priests who should guard the way murder along it, and Ephraim's whoredom has defiled the house of Israel. Against all of this, Jehovah names what He actually requires — mercy and the knowledge of God, not sacrifice and burnt offerings — a standard that cuts the entire sacrificial apparatus down to its covenantal root.
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.
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.
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.
8
Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.
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.
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.
