Hosea 6

Berean Standard Bible

Chapter summary

The chapter begins with an exhortation by the people to return to the Lord, acknowledging that He has torn and wounded them, but expressing faith that He will heal, revive, and raise them up after two days. The speaker urges a pursuit of the knowledge of the Lord, comparing His coming to the certainty of the sunrise and the refreshing spring rains. However, the Lord then addresses Ephraim and Judah, stating that their loyalty resembles a vanishing morning mist and early dew. Because of this, the Lord declares that He has hewn them by the prophets and executed judgment through His words, emphasizing that He desires mercy rather than sacrifice and the knowledge of God over burnt offerings. The text notes that the people, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant and been unfaithful. Specific locations and groups are cited for their wicked actions, including Gilead as a city of evildoers marked by footprints of blood, a band of priests murdering on the road to Shechem like ambush raiders, and Ephraim practicing prostitution within the house of Israel. Finally, the chapter concludes with the statement that a harvest is appointed for Judah when the Lord restores His people from captivity.

Summary automatically generated from the Bible text.

Words of Jesus in red

¹Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds. ²After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence. ³So let us know— let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth. ⁴What shall I do with you, O Ephraim ? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes. ⁵Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth, and My judgments go forth like lightning. ⁶For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. ⁷But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me. ⁸Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood. ⁹Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests; they murder on the way to Shechem; surely they have committed atrocities. ¹⁰In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing: Ephraim practices prostitution there, and Israel is defiled. ¹¹Also for you, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore My people from captivity.

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Louis Segond 1910 and Berean Standard Bible: public domain. Cross references: open-cross-ref, Creative Commons BY 4.0.