Hosea 6

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;)

9 and as the cheeks of men that be thieves. (So be the) Partner(s) of priests slaying in the way men going from Shechem, for they wrought great trespass. (like thieves waiting in ambush, so be the companies of priests killing those going on the way to Shechem; for indeed they wrought great trespass.)

10 In the house of Israel I saw an horrible thing; there the fornications of Ephraim. Israel is defouled; (In the house of Israel I saw a horrible thing; there be the worshipping of idols by Ephraim. Yea, Israel is defiled;)

11 but also thou, Judah, set [the] harvest to thee, when I shall turn (again) the captivity of my people. (and also thou, Judah, a time of reckoning hath been set for thee.)

Hosea 6 Commentary

Chapter 6

An exhortation to repentance. (1-3) Israel's instability and breach of the covenant. (4-11)

Verses 1-3 Those who have gone from God by consent, and in a body, drawing one another to sin, should, by consent and in a body, return to him, which will be for his glory, and their good. It will be of great use for support under afflictions, and to encourage our repentance, to keep up good thoughts of God, and of his purposes and designs concerning us. Deliverance out of trouble should be to them as life from the dead. God will revive them: the assurance of this should engage them to return to him. But this seems to have a further reference to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us admire the wisdom and goodness of God, that when the prophet foretold the deliverance of the church out of her troubles, he should point out our salvation by Christ; and now these words are fulfilled in the resurrection of Christ, it confirms our faith, that this is He that should come and we are to look for no other. Here is a precious blessing promised; this is life eternal, to know God. The returns of the favour of God are secured to us as firmly as the return of the morning after a dark night. He shall come to us as the latter and former rain unto the earth, which refreshes it, and makes it fruitful. The grace of God in Christ is both the latter and the former rain; and by it the good work of our fruit-bearing is begun and carried on. And as the Redeemer was raised from the grave, so will He revive the hearts and hopes of all that trust in him. The feeblest glimpse of hope in his word, is a sure earnest of increasing light and comfort, which shall be attended with purifying, comforting grace that makes fruitful.

Verses 4-11 Sometimes Israel and Judah seemed disposed to repent under their sufferings, but their goodness vanished like the empty morning cloud, and the early dew, and they were as vile as ever. Therefore the Lord sent awful messages by the prophets. The word of God will be the death either of the sin or of the sinner. God desired mercy rather than sacrifice, and that knowledge of him which produces holy fear and love. This exposes the folly of those who trust in outward observances, to make up for their want of love to God and man. As Adam broke the covenant of God in paradise, so Israel had broken his national covenant, notwithstanding all the favours they received. Judah also was ripe for Divine judgments. May the Lord put his fear into our hearts, and set up his kingdom within us, and never leave us to ourselves, nor suffer us to be overcome by temptation.

Chapter Summary

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.