Hosea 6

1 Come, let us return [to walk in obedience, to turn back] to the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God]. For He has torn us to pieces [smitten, wounded us], but He will heal us [mend, cure our emotional hurts]; He has wounded us [struck us down], but He will bind up our wounds [tie, saddle them firmly, provide relief]. word study 2 After [a short period of time, two] two days He will revive [restore to life, quicken] us; on the third [following] day He will raise [lift up, resurrect] us up, that we may live [have life, be revived] in His [divine, loving] presence [face, sight]. word study 3 So let us know [pursue to understand, ascertain by seeing]— let us press on to know [learn, perceive, and discern] the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] [the One who reveals Himself]. As surely as the sun rises [at dawn, with the morning light], He will appear [come to us, be present]; He will come to us like the rain [a refreshing shower], like the spring showers [latter rain, a season of growth] that water [nourish, refresh] the earth [the land, the material world]. word study 4 What shall I do with you, O Ephraim [doubly fruitful, referring to Joseph’s son and the tribe that descended from him] ? What shall I do with you, O Judah [the name of the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob]? For your loyalty [kindness, mercy, or pity, often used to describe God’s loving actions towards humanity] is like a morning [the break of day or morning, a time of new beginnings] mist, like the early [rising or starting early] dew that vanishes [goes away, disappears]. word study 5 Therefore [for this reason, thus] I have hewn [cut down, carved] them by the prophets [messengers of God, spokespersons]; I have slain [killed, destroyed] them by the words [utterances, declarations] of My mouth [lips, speech], and My judgments [justice, verdicts] go forth [come out, shine] like lightning [a flash of light, a burst of energy]. word study 6 For I desire [kindness, loving actions] mercy [tender compassion, pity], not [instead of] sacrifice [offerings to God], and the knowledge [intimate understanding] of God [Elohim, the one supreme God] rather than [more than] burnt offerings [completely burned sacrifices]. word study 7 But they [like men, as Adam], like Adam, have transgressed [broken, violated] the covenant [promise, agreement]; there [in that place, at that time] they were unfaithful [dealt treacherously, acted deceitfully] to Me [against my will, in disobedience]. word study 8 Gilead [a city in a mountainous region] is a city [town, urban center] of evildoers [those who work iniquity, wickedness], tracked [stained, polluted] with footprints [slippery, marked] of blood [the liquid that flows through the body]. word study 9 Like raiders [troops of robbers, gangs of bandits] who lie in ambush, so does a band [company, group] of priests [those who serve God, spiritual leaders]; they murder [kill, commit lewdness] on the way [road, path] to Shechem [a city in Palestine]; surely they have committed [worked, done] atrocities [wickedness, evil deeds, lewdness]. word study 10 In the house [dwelling place, family home] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants] I have seen [looked after, cared for] a horrible thing [something that inspires horror or fear]: Ephraim [doubly fruitful, referring to Joseph’s son] practices [engages in, commits] prostitution [unfaithfulness, idolatry] there [in that place, at that time], and Israel [God’s chosen people] is defiled [made foul, morally contaminated]. word study 11 Also [even, too] for you, O Judah [the tribe descended from Judah, the son of Jacob], a harvest [time of reaping, season of judgment] is appointed [set, ordained], when I restore [return, bring back] My people [nation, community] from captivity [state of being held prisoner, bondage]. word study