Hosea Chapter 6

From The Open Bible Project

6:1 "Come, and let us return to Yahweh; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, and he will bind up our wounds.

• (a) He shows the people that they ought to turn to the Lord, so that he might stop his plagues.

6:2 After two days he will revive us. On the third day he will raise us up, and we will live before him.

• (b) Though he correct us from time to time, yet his help will not be far off, if we return to him.

6:3 Let us acknowledge Yahweh. Let us press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth."

6:4 "Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

• (c) You seem to have a certain holiness and repentance, but it is very sudden, and as a morning cloud.

6:5 Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.

• (d) I have still laboured by my prophets, and as it were prepared you to bring you to correction, but all was in vain: for my word was not food to feed them, but a sword to slay them.
• (e) My doctrine which I taught you, was most evident.

6:6 For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

• (f) He shows to what his doctrine was aimed at, that they should unite the obedience of God, and the love of their neighbour, with outward sacrifices.

6:7 But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me, there.

• (g) That is, like small and weak persons.

6:8 Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood.

• (h) Which was the place where the priests dwelt, and which should have been best instructed in my word.

6:9 As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem, committing shameful crimes.

6:10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled.

6:11 "Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.

• (i) That is, imitates your idolatry, and has taken grafts of your trees.