Hosea 6:1

Old Testament Minor Prophet ASV (1901)

What does Hosea 6:1 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
Hosea 6:1 — American Standard Version

Context — Hosea 6

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1Come, and let us return unto Jehovah; for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Come, and let us return unto the Lord, etc.] The Septuagint and Arabic versions connect these words with the last clause of the preceding chapter, adding the word, “saying”; and so the Targum and Syriac version, “they shall say”; and very rightly as to the sense; for they are the words of those persons under the afflicting hand of God; and, being brought thereby to a sense of their sins, acknowledge them, and seek to the Lord for pardon, and encourage one another so to do; as Israel and Judah will in the latter day, when the veil shall be taken off their minds, the hardness of their heart removed, and they shall be converted, and turn to the Lord, and seek him together, weeping as they go;…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“THE ISRAELITES' EXHORTATION TO ONE ANOTHER TO SEEK THE LORD. (Hos 6:1-11) At Hos 6:4 a new discourse, complaining of them, begins; for Hos 6:1-3 evidently belong to Hos 5:15, and form the happy termination of Israel's punishment: primarily, the return from Babylon; ultimately, the return from their present long dispersion. Hos 6:8 perhaps refers to the murder of Pekahiah; the discourse cannot be later than Pekah's reign, for it was under it that Gilead was carried into captivity (Kg2 15:29). let us return--in order that God who has "returned to His place" may return to us (Hos 5:15). torn, and . . . heal-- (Deu 32:39; Jer 30:17). They ascribe their punishment not to fortune, or man, but to…”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Come and let us return unto the Lord - These words depend closely on the foregoing. They are words put into their mouth by God Himself, with which or with the like, they should exhort one another to return to God. Before, when God smote them, they had gone to Assyria; now they should turn to Him, owning, not only that He who “tore” has the power and the will to “heal” them, but that He tore, “in order to” heal them; He smote them, “in order to” bind them up. This closeness of connection is expressed in the last words; literally, “smite He and He will bind us up.” “He smiteth the putrefaction of the misdeed; He healeth the pain of the wound. Physicians do this; they cut; they smite; they…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Come - The prophet here brings them in, exhorting one another. He hath torn - We now see his hand in all we suffer. Hosea 6:2”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“6:1-3 In response to God’s acts of judgment on Israel, the religious leaders called the people to return to the Lord in repentance and urged everyone to know the Lord. • The rains in early spring were essential to the agricultural cycle of the land.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“and let: Hos 5:15, Hos 14:1; Isa 2:3, Isa 55:7; Jer 3:22, Jer 50:4; Lam 3:40, Lam 3:41; Zep 2:1 he hath torn: Hos 5:12-14, Hos 13:7-9; Deu 32:39; Sa1 2:6; Job 5:18, Job 34:29; Psa 30:7; Isa 30:22; Jer 30:12, Jer 33:5; Lam 3:32, Lam 3:33 Hosea 6:2”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“To this threat the prophet appends in the concluding strophe, both the command to return to the Lord, and the promise that the Lord will raise His smitten nation up again, and quicken them anew with His grace. The separation of these three verses from the preceding one, by the division of the chapters, is at variance with the close connection in the actual contents, which is so perfectly obvious in the allusion made in the words of Hos 6:1, "Come, and let us return," to those of Hos 5:15, "I will go, and return," and in טרף וירפּאנוּ ( Hos 6:1) to the similar words in Hos 5:13 and Hos 5:14. Hos 6:1. "Come, and let us return to Jehovah: for He has torn in pieces, and will heal us; He has…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification