rd

Hosea 6

3 Affliction causeth a man to turn to God. 9 The wickedness of the Priests.
1.Come, and let us areturn to the Lord: for he hath spoiled, and he will heal us: he hath wounded us, and he will bind us up.
2.After two days will bhe revive us, and in the third day he will raise us up, and we shal live in his sight.
3.Then shal we have knowledge, & endeavour our selves to know the Lord: his going forth is prepared as the morning, and he shal come unto us as the rain, and as the latter rain unto the earth.
4.O Ephráim, what shal I do unto thee! ô Judáh, how shal I entreat thee! for cyour goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the morning dew it goeth away.
5.Therefore have I dcut down by the Prophets: I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and ethy judgements were as the light that goeth forth.
6.For I desired fmercy, and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings.
7.But they like gmen have transgressed the covenant: there have they trespassed against me.
8.hGileád is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.
9.And as thieves wait for a man, so the company of Priests murther in the way by consent: for they work mischief.
10.I have seen villainy in the house of Israél: there is the whoredom of Ephráim: Israél is defiled.
11.Yea, Judáh hath set a iplant for thee, whiles I would return the captivity of my people.

Notes

1-a.
He shows the people how they ought to turn to the Lord, that he might call back his plagues.
2-b.
Though he correct us from time to time, yet his help will not be far off, if we return to him.
4-c.
You seem to have a certain holiness, and repentance, but it is upon the sudden, and as a morning cloud.
5-d.
I have still laboured by my Prophets, and as it were framed you to bring you to amendment, but all was in vain: for my word was not meat to feed them, but a sword to slay them.
5-e.
My doctrine which I taught you, was most evident.
6-f.
He shows to what scope his doctrine tended that they should join the obedience of God, and the love of their neighbour with outward sacrifice.
7-g.
That is, like light and weak persons.
8-h.
Which was the place where the Priests dwelt, and which should have been best instructed in my word.
11-i.
That is, does imitate your idolatry and has taken grafts of your trees.