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

⁴ O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, how shall I entreat thee? Seeing your love is like a morning cloud, and like a dew that goeth early away. ⁵ Therefore have I cut down the prophets, and let them be slain for my words' sake: so that thy punishment shall come to light. ⁶ For I have pleasure in loving-kindness, and not in offering: Yea in the knowledge of God, more than in burnt sacrifice.

⁷ But even like as Adam did, so have they broken my covenant, and set me at naught. ⁸ Gilead is a city of wicked doers, of malicious people and bloodshedders. ⁹ The multitude of the priests is like a heap of thieves, murderers and bloodthirsty: for they have wrought abomination. ¹⁰ Horrible things have I seen in the house of Israel: there playeth Ephraim the harlot, and Israel is defiled. ¹¹ But Judah shall have a harvest for himself, when I return the captivity of my people.

¹ When I undertake to make Israel whole, then the ungraciousness of Ephraim and the wickedness of Samaria cometh to light: then go they about with lies. At home, they be thieves: and without they fall to robbing. ² They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness. They go about with their own inventions, but I see them well enough.