Hosea 6:1-8

1 Come ye, and turn we again to the Lord; for he took, and shall heal us; he shall smite, and shall make us whole. (Come ye, let us return to the Lord; for he hath torn us, but he shall heal us; he hath struck us down, but he shall make us whole again.)

2 He shall quicken us after two days, and in the third day he shall raise us, and we shall live in his sight. (He shall revive us after two days, and on the third day he shall raise us up, and we shall live before him.)

3 We shall know, and follow, (so) that we know the Lord. His going out is made ready at the morrowtide, and he shall come as a rain to us, which is timeful and lateful to the earth.

4 Ephraim, what shall I do to thee? Judah, what shall I do to thee? Your mercy is as a cloud of the morrowtide, and as dew passing forth early. (Ephraim, what shall I do with thee? Judah, what shall I do with thee? Your love, or your loyalty, is like a morning cloud, and like dew that passeth away early in the morning.)

5 For this thing, I [have] hewed (them) in prophets, I (have) killed them in the words of my mouth; and thy dooms shall go out as light. (For this thing, I have cut them down by the prophets, I have killed them with the words of my mouth; and thy judgement shall go forth like the light.)

6 For I would mercy, and not sacrifice, and I would the knowing of God, more than burnt sacrifices. (For I desire love, and not sacrifices, yea, I desire the knowing of God, more than any burnt sacrifices.)

7 But they as Adam brake the covenant; there they trespassed against me. (But they, like other people, broke the covenant; they trespassed against me there.)

8 Gilead, the city of them that work idol, is supplanted with blood; (Gilead, their city where they do evil, is overcome with blood;)

Hosea 6:1-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO HOSEA 6

This chapter gives an account of some who were truly penitent, and stirred up one another to return to the Lord, encouraged by his power, grace, and goodness, Ho 6:1-3; and of others, who had only a form of religion, were very unstable in it; regarded more the ceremonial law, and the external sacrifices of it, than the moral law; either that part of it which respects the love of the neighbour, or that which concerns the knowledge of God; and dealt treacherously with the Lord, transgressing the covenant, Ho 6:4-7; particularly the city of Gilead is represented as full of the workers of iniquity, and is charged with bloodshed, Ho 6:8; yea, even the priests were guilty of murder and lewdness, Ho 6:9; and Israel, or the ten tribes in general, are accused of whoredom, both corporeal and spiritual, with which they were defiled, Ho 6:10; nor was Judah clear of these crimes, and therefore a reckoning day is set for them, Ho 6:11.