Hosea 6:1–4

Context

Hosea was a prophet who ministered in the northern kingdom of Israel in the eighth century BC. In the Book of Hosea, "Ephraim" refers to the northern kingdom. In the latter part of chapter 5, God likens himself to a lion and declares that he will "tear" Ephraim and Judah and go away. He then says that he will wait until they acknowledge their offense and seek him (Hosea 5:14–15).

Hosea 6:1–3 is the people's response to these words. In verse 4 the speaker shifts back to God, who assesses their declaration. The statement that follows in verse 6, "For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice," serves as the conclusion of this section.

Interpretation

• Superficial repentance: Many commentators regard verses 1–3 as the shallow repentance of a people expecting an easy restoration. They note that the people make no specific confession of sin and speak only of the assurance that "he hath smitten, and he will bind us up." Verse 4 rebukes them by likening their "goodness" to a fleeting "morning cloud" and "the early dew." The underlying Hebrew word, hesed, denotes steadfast love and faithfulness to the covenant.
• A genuine invitation to repentance: Other interpreters read verses 1–3 as a sincere call to repentance addressed by the prophet to the people. On this reading, the passage is taken at face value as an exhortation to repent.
• A type of the resurrection: Since the early church, many interpreters have understood "After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up" as foreshadowing the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day. The verse is also frequently proposed as one of the Old Testament texts in view in the statement that "he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:4).
• A historical and literary reading: Many Old Testament scholars regard "two days … the third day" as a numerical parallelism in Hebrew poetry meaning "before long." On this reading, the words express the expectation that the nation would soon be restored. Some who adopt this reading also accept an interpretation that connects the passage to the resurrection from a New Testament perspective.

Controversies and Issues

• The interpretation of "the latter rain": In Palestinian agriculture, the early rain falls in autumn and the latter rain in spring. Some within Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement read this expression together with Joel 2:23–27 and interpret it as a promise of a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days. Others, by contrast, regard it simply as a metaphor comparing God's gracious coming to the seasonal rains. Those who hold this view argue that using the passage as a basis for a particular eschatological movement of the Spirit is an application that goes beyond its context.
• Citing the verses in isolation: Some observe that when verses 1–3 are quoted on their own as a text urging repentance, the rebuke of verse 4 is left out. As a result, the passage may be read in a sense different from its original flow.

In the Korean Church

The phrase "let us follow on to know the LORD" is reportedly often used as a sermon text and motto at gatherings that emphasize repentance and spiritual renewal, such as New Year's services and revival meetings.

Related Passages

• Hosea 5:15
• Matthew 9:13
• Luke 24:44–46
• Joel 2:23
• 1 Corinthians 15:4