Hosea 6

⁴O E´phra-im, 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 early dew it goeth away.

⁵Therefore 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.

⁶For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.[#Matt 9.13; 12.7.]

⁷But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.[#6.7 or like Adam.]

⁸Gil´e-ad is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

⁹And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.[#6.9 or toward Shechem.]

¹⁰I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of E´phra-im, Israel is defiled.

¹¹Also, O Judah, he hath set a harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.