Bible in Basic English
Because my desire is for mercy and not offerings; for the knowledge of God more than for burned offerings.
But like a man, they have gone against the agreement; there they were false to me.
Gilead is a town of evil-doers, marked with blood.
And like a band of thieves waiting for a man, so are the priests watching secretly the way of those going quickly to Shechem, for they are working with an evil design.
In Israel I have seen a very evil thing; there false ways are seen in Ephraim, Israel is unclean;
And Judah has put up disgusting images for himself.
— Hosea 6:6-1964, Bible in Basic English
“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood. And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness. I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled. Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people. ”
“For I desire goodness, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings. But they like Adam have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity; it is stained with blood. And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem; yea, they have committed lewdness. In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing: there whoredom is found in Ephraim, Israel is defiled. Also, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for thee, when I bring back the captivity of my people. ”
“For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me, there. Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood. As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder in the way toward Shechem, committing shameful crimes. In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled. "Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.”
“For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings. Indictments Against the Cities of Israel and Judah At Adam they broke the covenant; Oh how they were unfaithful to me! Gilead is a city full of evildoers; its streets are stained with bloody footprints! The company of priests is like a gang of robbers, lying in ambush to pounce on a victim. They commit murder on the road to Shechem; they have done heinous crimes! I have seen a disgusting thing in the house of Israel: there Ephraim commits prostitution with other gods, and Israel defiles itself. I have appointed a time to reap judgment for you also, O Judah!If Israel Would Repent of Sin, God Would Relent of Judgment Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of my people,”
“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than holocausts. But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant, there have they dealt treacherously against me. Galaad is a city of workers of idols, supplanted with blood. And like the jaws of highway robbers, they conspire with the priests who murder in the way those that pass out of Sichem: for they have wrought wickedness. I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: the fornications of Ephraim there: Israel is defiled. And thou also, O Juda, set thee a harvest, when I shall bring back the captivity of my people. ”
“For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood. And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness. I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled. Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people. ”
And let us have knowledge, let us go after the knowledge of the Lord; his going out is certain as the dawn, his decisions go out like the light; he will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.
O Ephraim, what am I to do to you? O Judah, what am I to do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew which goes early away.
So I have had it cut in stones; I gave them teaching by the words of my mouth;
Because my desire is for mercy and not offerings; for the knowledge of God more than for burned offerings.
But like a man, they have gone against the agreement; there they were false to me.
Gilead is a town of evil-doers, marked with blood.
And like a band of thieves waiting for a man, so are the priests watching secretly the way of those going quickly to Shechem, for they are working with an evil design.
In Israel I have seen a very evil thing; there false ways are seen in Ephraim, Israel is unclean;
And Judah has put up disgusting images for himself.