Hosea 6:6-9
Hosea 6:4-9 The Message (MSG)
“What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What do I make of you, Judah? Your declarations of love last no longer than morning mist and predawn dew. That’s why I use prophets to shake you to attention, why my words cut you to the quick: To wake you up to my judgment blazing like light. I’m after love that lasts, not more religion. I want you to know GOD, not go to more prayer meetings. You broke the covenant—just like Adam! You broke faith with me—ungrateful wretches! “Gilead has become Crime City— blood on the sidewalks, blood on the streets. It used to be robbers who mugged pedestrians. Now it’s gangs of priests Assaulting worshipers on their way to Shechem. Nothing is sacred to them.
Hosea 6:6-9 King James Version (KJV)
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.
Hosea 6:6-9 New American Standard Bible - NASB 1995 (NASB1995)
For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. But like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me. Gilead is a city of wrongdoers, Tracked with bloody footprints. And as raiders wait for a man, So a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they have committed crime.
Hosea 6:6-9 New Century Version (NCV)
I want faithful love more than I want animal sacrifices. I want people to know me more than I want burnt offerings. But they have broken the agreement as Adam did; they have been unfaithful to me. Gilead is a city of people who do evil; their footprints are bloody. The priests are like robbers waiting to attack people; they murder people on the road to Shechem and do wicked things.
Hosea 6:6-9 American Standard Version (ASV)
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.
Hosea 6:6-9 New International Version (NIV)
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. As at Adam, they have broken the covenant; they were unfaithful to me there. Gilead is a city of evildoers, stained with footprints of blood. As marauders lie in ambush for a victim, so do bands of priests; they murder on the road to Shechem, carrying out their wicked schemes.
Hosea 6:6-9 New King James Version (NKJV)
For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. “But like men they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me. Gilead is a city of evildoers And defiled with blood. As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, So the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they commit lewdness.
Hosea 6:6-9 Amplified Bible (AMP)
For I desire and delight in [steadfast] loyalty [faithfulness in the covenant relationship], rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. [Matt 9:13; 12:7] But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me. Gilead is a city of wrongdoers; It is tracked with bloody footprints. And as bands of robbers [lie in] wait for a man, So a band of priests murder on the road toward Shechem [covering their crimes in that city of refuge]; Certainly they have committed crimes and outrages.
Hosea 6:6-9 New Living Translation (NLT)
I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings. But like Adam, you broke my covenant and betrayed my trust. “Gilead is a city of sinners, tracked with footprints of blood. Priests form bands of robbers, waiting in ambush for their victims. They murder travelers along the road to Shechem and practice every kind of sin.
Hosea 6:6-9 English Standard Version 2016 (ESV)
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. But like Adam they transgressed the covenant; there they dealt faithlessly with me. Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with blood. As robbers lie in wait for a man, so the priests band together; they murder on the way to Shechem; they commit villainy.
