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.
After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him.
And let us know, let us follow on to know the LORD; his going forth is sure as the morning: and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth.
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 dew that goeth early away.
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.
For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
But they like Adam have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.
Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, it is stained with blood.
And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they have committed lewdness.
In the house of Israel I have seen an horrible thing: there whoredom is found in Ephraim, Israel is defiled.
Also, O Judah, there is an harvest appointed for thee, when I bring again the captivity of my people.
Canonical academic citations for Hosea 6 (ERV) — copy in your preferred format.
Hosea 6 (ERV). Prime Bible, accessed July 26, 2026. https://primebible.com/erv/hosea/6.
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Israel’s call to ‘return’ rings hollow; God wants steadfast love, not sacrifice. Their covenant-breaking, bloodshed and priestly crimes make their piety as fleeting as morning mist.
Marriage metaphor portrays Israel's unfaithfulness and God's persistent love.
Hosea 6 is presented with the full Hebrew interlinear, Strong's numbers, and verse-by-verse cross-references on Prime Bible — a free, nonprofit Bible study platform.