Hosea 6:4-Hosea 7:2 - The Lord's First Lament

⁴ O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee? Your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away. ⁵ Therefore I have hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: that thy righteousness be as the light that goes forth. ⁶ For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

⁷ But they have transposed the covenant as of men: there they have rebelled against me. ⁸ Gilead is a city of those that work iniquity and is polluted with blood. ⁹ And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the council of priests murder in the way by common accord; for they put the abomination into effect. ¹⁰ I saw uncleanness in the house of Israel: there Ephraim played the harlot, Israel defiled herself. ¹¹ Also, Judah placed a plant in thee when I had turned the captivity of my people.

¹ When I was healing Israel, the iniquity of Ephraim was uncovered, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they worked deceit; and the thief comes in, and the troop of robbers spoils without. ² And they do not consider in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness; now their own doings have beset them about; they are before my face.