Read Scripture ad-free with Bible Gateway Plus—trusted Study Bibles and commentaries beside every verse. Try it FREE for 7 days.
Log In/Sign Up

#
Hosea 6
New King James Version

### A Call to Repentance

6 Come,(A) and let us return to the Lord;
For (B)He has torn, but (C)He will heal us;
He has stricken, but He will [a]bind us up.
2 (D)After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
3 (E)Let us know,
Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord.
His going forth is established (F)as the morning;
(G)He will come to us (H)like the rain,
Like the latter and former rain to the earth.

### Impenitence of Israel and Judah

4 “O Ephraim, what shall I do to you?
O Judah, what shall I do to you?
For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud,
And like the early dew it goes away.
5 Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
I have slain them by (I)the words of My mouth;
And [b]your judgments are like light that goes forth.
6 For I desire (J)mercy[c] and (K)not sacrifice,
And the (L)knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

7 “But like [d]men they transgressed the covenant;
There they dealt treacherously with Me.
8 (M)Gilead is a city of evildoers
And [e]defiled with blood.
9 As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man,
So the company of (N)priests (O)murder on the way to Shechem;
Surely they commit (P)lewdness.
10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel:
There is the [f]harlotry of Ephraim;
Israel is defiled.
11 Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you,
When I return the captives of My people.

#### Footnotes

1. Hosea 6:1 Bandage
2. Hosea 6:5 Or the judgments on you
3. Hosea 6:6 Or faithfulness or loyalty
4. Hosea 6:7 Or Adam
5. Hosea 6:8 Lit. foot-tracked
6. Hosea 6:10 Spiritual adultery

#### Cross references

1. Hosea 6:1 : Is. 1:18; Acts 10:43
2. Hosea 6:1 : Deut. 32:39; Hos. 5:14
3. Hosea 6:1 : Jer. 30:17; Hos. 14:4
4. Hosea 6:2 : Luke 24:46; Acts 10:40; [1 Cor. 15:4]
5. Hosea 6:3 : Is. 54:13
6. Hosea 6:3 : 2 Sam. 23:4
7. Hosea 6:3 : Ps. 72:6; Joel 2:23
8. Hosea 6:3 : Job 29:23
9. Hosea 6:5 : [Jer. 23:29]
10. Hosea 6:6 : Matt. 9:13; 12:7
11. Hosea 6:6 : Is. 1:12, 13; [Mic. 6:6–8]
12. Hosea 6:6 : [John 17:3]
13. Hosea 6:8 : Hos. 12:11
14. Hosea 6:9 : Hos. 5:1
15. Hosea 6:9 : Jer. 7:9, 10; Hos. 4:2
16. Hosea 6:9 : Ezek. 22:9; 23:27; Hos. 2:10

New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

#### Bible Gateway Recommends

NKJV, Gift and Award Bible, Red Letter Edition, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version
Retail: $9.99
Our Price: $6.99
Save: $3.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Bible Study Bible, Comfort Print: A Study Guide for Every Chapter of the Bible
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV Study Bible, Full-Color, Comfort Print: The Complete Resource for Studying God’s Word
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $41.99
Save: $18.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People
Retail: $19.98
Our Price: $13.99
Save: $5.99 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, Chronological Study Bible, Comfort Print: Holy Bible, New King James Version
Retail: $49.99
Our Price: $34.99
Save: $15.00 (30%)
Buy Now
NKJV, The Prayer Bible, Red Letter, Comfort Print
Retail: $59.99
Our Price: $35.99
Save: $24.00 (40%)
Buy Now
View more titles