Hosea 6:2

KJV

After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

KJV (with Strong's)

After two days {H3117} will he revive {H2421} us: in the third {H7992} day {H3117} he will raise us up {H6965}, and we shall live {H2421} in his sight {H6440}.

Complete Jewish Bible

After two days, he will revive us; on the third day, he will raise us up; and we will live in his presence.

Berean Standard Bible

After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.

American Standard Version

After two days will he revive us: on the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live before him.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Hosea 6:2 presents a profound promise of divine restoration and renewal for a repentant Israel, declaring that after a period of discipline, God will revive and raise them up to live in His presence. This verse encapsulates God's unwavering commitment to bring life out of spiritual desolation, offering hope for reconciliation and a restored relationship with Him following the consequences of their unfaithfulness.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** Hosea 6:2 follows an earnest call to repentance and return to the Lord in [Hosea 6:1](/hosea/6-1 "Hosea 6:1 - Call to Return to the Lord"). The preceding chapters detail Israel's deep spiritual apostasy, their pursuit of foreign alliances, and their reliance on human strength rather than God. The Lord, through Hosea, has pronounced severe judgment, likening Israel's unfaithfulness to a harlot (as seen in [Hosea 1](/hosea/1 "Hosea 1 - Hosea's Marriage and Children")). Yet, even amidst the pronouncements of tearing and smiting, [Hosea 6:1](/hosea/6-1 "Hosea 6:1 - Call to Return to the Lord") introduces a glimmer of hope: "for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up." Hosea 6:2 then expands on this hope, providing a specific timeframe and nature for God's promised healing and restoration, suggesting a definite and relatively swift divine intervention that will lead to a renewed covenant relationship. This passage functions as a pivotal point, balancing the severity of God's judgment with the certainty of His redemptive love.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The prophet Hosea ministered to the northern kingdom of Israel (Ephraim) during the tumultuous 8th century BC, a period marked by political instability, assassinations of kings, social injustice, and rampant idolatry. Israel had abandoned the covenant with Yahweh, engaging in syncretistic worship of Baal and other foreign deities, and seeking alliances with Assyria and Egypt rather than trusting in God. This spiritual adultery led to national decline and the looming threat of Assyrian conquest, which would ultimately result in the exile of the northern tribes. The "two days" and "third day" phrase, in its immediate historical context, would have been understood as a relatively short, definite period of time, emphasizing the certainty and imminence of God's redemptive action. It was a promise that despite the severity of the impending judgment, God's covenant faithfulness would ensure a future for His people, preventing their utter annihilation and ultimately bringing about a spiritual and national revival.
* **Key Themes:** This verse contributes significantly to several key themes woven throughout the book of Hosea. Foremost is the theme of **Divine Restoration and Revival**, demonstrating God's sovereign power and desire to bring His people back to life from a state of spiritual deadness and national decline. It underscores God's **Steadfast Love (Hesed)** and **Mercy**, which persist even in the face of Israel's persistent unfaithfulness and rebellion, as seen in passages like [Hosea 11:8-9](/hosea/11-8-9 "Hosea 11:8-9 - God's Compassion for Israel"). The phrase "live in his sight" highlights the theme of **Restored Relationship and Intimacy with God**, signifying a return to divine favor, blessing, and communion after a period of estrangement caused by sin. This is the ultimate goal of God's redemptive work, echoing the covenant ideal of God dwelling among His people and them being His people, as promised in [Leviticus 26:12](/leviticus/26-12 "Leviticus 26:12 - God's Presence Among His People").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **revive (Hebrew, _châyâh'_):** From H2421, this primitive root means "to live," both literally and figuratively. Causatively, it means "to revive," "keep alive," "quicken," "recover," or "restore to life." In Hosea 6:2, it signifies God's power to infuse life into a spiritually dead nation, bringing them back from a state of desolation and judgment. It speaks to a profound spiritual and national resuscitation.
* **raise us up (Hebrew, _qûwm'_):** From H6965, this primitive root means "to rise" or "to stand up" in various applications, including literal, figurative, intensive, and causative. It can mean to "lift up," "establish," "restore," or "rouse up." Here, it parallels "revive," emphasizing the active, powerful intervention of God to elevate His people from their fallen state, signifying a complete and decisive act of restoration and re-establishment.
* **sight (Hebrew, _pânîym'_):** From H6440, this plural noun (always singular in meaning) refers to "the face" or "presence." It is used in a great variety of applications, often with prepositional prefixes to mean "before," "in the presence of," or "in the face of." To "live in his sight" (literally, "in His face") implies living under God's direct favor, protection, and intimate communion. It denotes a state of being fully approved by God and enjoying His manifest presence, a stark contrast to the previous estrangement due to sin.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"After two days will he revive us:"** This clause sets a specific, though symbolically significant, timeframe for God's restorative action. "Two days" suggests a relatively short, definite period of waiting or suffering before God's intervention. The verb "revive" (H2421, _châyâh_) indicates God's sovereign power to bring life back to a people who were spiritually dead and under judgment. It implies a supernatural infusion of vitality, a re-animation from a state of national and spiritual decay.
* **"in the third day he will raise us up,"** This phrase further emphasizes the certainty and completion of God's redemptive work. The "third day" denotes the culmination of the process initiated after "two days," signifying the definitive moment of resurrection and restoration. The verb "raise us up" (H6965, _qûwm_) reinforces the idea of elevation, re-establishment, and recovery from a fallen state, paralleling "revive" to underscore the comprehensive nature of God's life-giving power.
* **"and we shall live in his sight."** This final clause describes the blessed outcome of God's revival and raising up. To "live in his sight" (H6440, _pânîym_) signifies a restored and intimate relationship with God, characterized by His favor, presence, and approval. It implies a state of peace, security, and communion, where the people are fully alive and flourishing under the direct gaze and blessing of their covenant Lord, having been reconciled after their period of estrangement.

#### Literary Devices
Hosea 6:2 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. **Parallelism** is evident in the synonymous phrasing "revive us" and "raise us up," which both describe God's life-giving action, reinforcing the certainty and comprehensiveness of the restoration. This is further enhanced by the **Climactic Parallelism** of "after two days" leading to "in the third day," suggesting a progression towards a definitive and glorious outcome. The verse also uses **Metaphor**, portraying Israel's state of spiritual death and national decline as a literal death from which God will bring them back to life. This metaphor underscores the severity of their condition and the miraculous nature of God's intervention. Furthermore, the numerical phrase "two days... in the third day" functions as **Symbolism**, representing a short, definite period of time, but also carrying a deeper prophetic resonance of divine timing and ultimate resurrection, which would later find its ultimate fulfillment in Christ.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Hosea 6:2 articulates a fundamental theological truth about God's character: His ultimate desire is not for judgment but for restoration and life, even for a people who have profoundly strayed. This verse encapsulates the divine pattern of allowing consequences for sin, yet always holding open the door for repentance and offering profound grace that leads to new life. It speaks to God's covenant faithfulness, demonstrating that His commitment to His people transcends their unfaithfulness. The promise of being "revived" and "raised up" to "live in his sight" points to a holistic restoration—spiritual, national, and relational—where God's presence is once again the source of life and blessing. This divine act of bringing life from death is a recurring motif throughout scripture, foreshadowing the ultimate victory over death achieved through Christ.

* [Deuteronomy 30:1-6](/deuteronomy/30-1-6 "Deuteronomy 30:1-6 - Restoration After Exile")
* [Psalm 30:2-3](/psalm/30-2-3 "Psalm 30:2-3 - From Weeping to Joy")
* [Ezekiel 37:12-14](/ezekiel/37-12-14 "Ezekiel 37:12-14 - The Valley of Dry Bones")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Hosea 6:2 offers an enduring beacon of hope for all who find themselves in a state of spiritual dryness, despair, or the consequences of their own unfaithfulness. It reminds us that no matter how deep the spiritual desolation, how severe the judgment, or how long the period of discipline, God's power to revive and restore remains absolute. For individuals, this means that even after seasons of backsliding, apathy, or profound sin, God is capable of breathing new life into our souls, raising us from spiritual death to vibrant communion with Him. For communities and churches, it is a call to hope for corporate revival, believing that God can re-ignite passion, restore brokenness, and re-establish His people in His presence. This verse encourages us to turn back to the Lord with genuine repentance, trusting in His compassionate nature to heal, bind up, and bring us into a renewed, intimate relationship where we truly "live in his sight." It underscores that our ultimate hope is not in our own efforts to recover, but in God's sovereign and gracious power to quicken us.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life, or in my community, do I sense a need for God to "revive" or "raise up"?**
* **How does the promise of "living in his sight" motivate me to seek deeper intimacy and obedience with God?**
* **What does this verse teach me about God's character, particularly His faithfulness and mercy even when His people are unfaithful?**
* **How can I actively participate in seeking personal and corporate spiritual revival, trusting God's timing and power?**

### FAQ
**What is the meaning of "After two days... in the third day" in Hosea 6:2?**

Answer: In its immediate historical context, the phrase "after two days... in the third day" primarily signifies a definite and relatively short period of time. It emphasizes the certainty and swiftness of God's redemptive action for Israel following a period of judgment. It's not meant to be a precise chronological prediction in that context, but rather a way of saying that God's restoration will surely come, and it will not be indefinitely delayed. The use of "two days" and "third day" often conveys a sense of completion or a climactic event in biblical literature, indicating that the period of suffering or waiting will be finite, leading to a glorious outcome. This timing underscores God's mercy, which limits the duration of His judgment and ensures a future for His covenant people.

**Does Hosea 6:2 directly predict Jesus' resurrection?**

Answer: While Hosea 6:2, with its mention of being "revived" and "raised up" on the "third day," bears a striking resemblance to the timing of Jesus' resurrection, it is important to understand its primary meaning within its original context. The prophet Hosea was speaking to the northern kingdom of Israel about their national and spiritual restoration from judgment. The verse's immediate fulfillment was related to God's promise to restore Israel after their period of discipline. However, Christian theology often interprets this verse as having a profound typological or prophetic resonance. The pattern of death and resurrection, particularly on the third day, is a recurring divine motif throughout scripture, and it finds its ultimate and definitive fulfillment in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The New Testament frequently shows how Old Testament patterns and prophecies find their ultimate meaning and culmination in Christ, even if their initial context was different. Thus, while not a direct, explicit prediction, it serves as a powerful foreshadowing of the ultimate resurrection and new life found in Christ, as referenced in passages like [1 Corinthians 15:4](/1_corinthians/15-4 "1 Corinthians 15:4 - Christ's Resurrection on the Third Day").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Hosea 6:2, with its profound declaration of God's power to "revive" and "raise up" on the "third day" so that His people "shall live in his sight," finds its most glorious and ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. While Hosea's immediate prophecy concerned the national restoration of Israel from spiritual death and judgment, the divine pattern of death, burial, and resurrection on the third day is perfectly embodied in Christ. His crucifixion represents the ultimate "tearing" and "smiting" for the sins of humanity, bearing the judgment that we deserved. Yet, just as Hosea promised, God did not leave His people in desolation. On the third day, God "raised Him up," triumphing over sin and death, as powerfully declared in [Acts 2:24](/acts/2-24 "Acts 2:24 - God Raised Jesus from the Dead"). Through Christ's resurrection, believers are not merely revived but are granted a new, eternal life, being spiritually united with Him in His resurrection power, as described in [Romans 6:4](/romans/6-4 "Romans 6:4 - New Life in Christ"). This enables us to truly "live in His sight," not just in a restored earthly relationship, but in an eternal, perfected communion with God the Father through the Son, a reality that transcends the Old Covenant promises and points to the glorious hope of the new heavens and new earth where God Himself will dwell with His people, as promised in [Revelation 21:3-4](/revelation/21-3-4 "Revelation 21:3-4 - God Dwells with His People"). Thus, Hosea 6:2, while rooted in Israel's history, resonates with the universal truth of God's life-giving power, ultimately fulfilled and made accessible to all through the resurrected Christ.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Kings 20:5

Turn again, and tell Hezekiah the captain of my people, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.

Ezekiel 37:11

Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.

Ezekiel 37:13

And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,

1 Corinthians 15:4

And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Isaiah 26:19

Thy dead [men] shall live, [together with] my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew [is as] the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.

Hosea 13:14

I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes.

John 14:19

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.