Hosea 5:6

Although they bring their flocks and herds ¹  to seek ²  the favor of the Lord, ³  They will not find him – he has withdrawn himself from them!

When they go with their flocks and herds to seek the LORD, they will not find him; he has withdrawn himself from them.

They will go with their flocks and herds To seek the LORD, but they will not find Him; He has withdrawn from them.

Then at last, they will come with their flocks and herds to offer sacrifices to the LORD. But it will be too late! They will not find him, because he has withdrawn from them, and they are now alone.

When they decide to get their lives together and go off looking for GOD once again, They'll find it's too late. I, GOD, will be long gone.

They will go, with their flocks and their herds, in search of the Lord, but they will not see him; he has taken himself out of their view.

With their flocks and herds they shall go to seek the LORD, but they will not find him; he has withdrawn from them.

"With their flocks and herds They shall go to seek the LORD, But they will not find Him ; He has withdrawn Himself from them.

Although they bring their flocks and herds ¹  to seek ²  the favor of the Lord, ³  They will not find him – he has withdrawn himself from them!

¹ sn The terms flocks and herds are used figuratively for animal sacrifices (metonymy of association). Hosea describes the futility of seeking God’s favor with mere ritual sacrifice without the prerequisite moral obedience (e.g., 1 Sam 15:24; Ps 50:6-8; 51:17-18; Isa 1:12; Mic 6:6-8).

² tn Heb “they go out to seek the Lord”; NCV “to worship the Lord”; NLT “to offer sacrifices to the Lord.”

³ tn Heb “the Lord”; the phrase “the favor of” does not appear in Hebrew here, but is supplied for the sake of clarity. It is implied by the metonymical (cause-effect) reference to the Lord, the source of favor and forgiveness.