Hosea 6:8

6:8 Gilead is a city full of evildoers; ¹ 

its streets are stained with bloody footprints! ² 

Hosea 7:1

7:1 whenever I want to heal Israel,

the sin of Ephraim is revealed,

and the evil deeds of Samaria are exposed.

For they do what is wrong;

thieves break into houses,

and gangs rob people out in the streets.

[6:8]  ¹ tn The participle phrase פֹּעֲלֵי אָוֶן (po’ale ’aven, “workers of wickedness”) emphasizes continual (uninterrupted), habitual action. This particular use of the participle is an ironic play on the professional occupation function (see IBHS 615 §37.2c). In effect, the major “professional guild” in Gilead is evil-working; the people are producers of evil!

[6:8]  ² tn Heb “it is foot-tracked with blood”; NAB “tracked with (+ footprints of NLT) blood.”