Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The promise of God's return is presented not just as a relief, but as an active, progressive renewal, like the dawn that brightens and the rains that revitalize the land, implying a continuous and deepening relationship, not a one-time event.
Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After a plea for Israel to return to the Lord, this verse expresses their renewed commitment to seek God and His knowledge. They anticipate His return with the certainty of dawn and the life-giving power of rain, implying a desire for His presence to revive their barren spiritual land. This hopeful declaration, however, is soon contrasted with God's view of their superficial repentance, highlighting the disconnect between their words and their hearts.
What does it mean to 'know' God? Is it just head knowledge, or something more?
The verse starts with a powerful desire: 'Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD.' This isn't about acquiring more facts about God. It's about a deep, growing, experiential relationship. The Hebrew here suggests not just learning, but actively pursuing and striving to understand God more fully. It’s a journey, not a destination.
Think of it like this: you might 'know of' a friend, but 'knowing' them involves spending time together, understanding their heart, and experiencing their presence. This verse calls us to that active pursuit of God, a commitment to continuously deepen our understanding and connection with Him, recognizing that His grace enables and sustains this pursuit.
Imagine waiting in darkness, desperate for light. How does God's appearance compare?
The verse compares God's 'going out' – His coming to His people – to the dawn. This isn't just any light; it's the morning dawn, which is 'sure' or 'prepared.' Just as the sunrise is an inevitable, beautiful, and predictable event after the darkness of night, God's appearance to His people is certain and fixed in His purposes.
This imagery speaks of hope and reliability. Even when things seem dark and God feels distant, His coming is sure. It dispels the darkness, bringing warmth, clarity, and a fresh start. This 'going forth' is God revealing Himself, making His ways known, and bringing His light into our lives.
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Water is essential for life. What does God's 'rain' signify for us?
The promise continues with God coming 'as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.' In the ancient Near East, rain was crucial for agriculture, especially the early (seed-time) and late (harvest) rains that sustained crops. Without them, the land would be barren.
This imagery powerfully illustrates God's life-giving and restorative work. His coming isn't just a display of power; it's a gentle, nourishing presence that revives, sustains, and makes fruitful. It speaks of God bringing life to spiritually dry places, enabling growth, and producing abundant blessings, just as rain brings life to parched land.
Understand the original words
yada · Hebrew Verb
An intimate, experiential, and relational knowledge, far exceeding mere intellectual awareness; it implies relationship and commitment.
Hosea's words of hope for knowing and experiencing the Lord, likening His return to the certainty of dawn and the life-giving rain, resonate deeply in the context of exile and displacement. The audience would have understood this not just as a theological concept, but as a desperate longing for God's tangible presence after the devastating fall of their nation.
Late 8th century BC
Assyrian dominance over Israel
The Northern Kingdom of Israel, led by the prophet Hosea, faced increasing pressure and control from the Neo-Assyrian Empire. This period was marked by political instability, foreign influence, and religious syncretism.
c. 732 BC
Fall of Damascus
The capital of Aram-Damascus, a key ally of Israel against Assyria, fell to Tiglath-Pileser III of Assyria. This event marked a significant shift in regional power, further isolating and weakening Israel.
c. 722 BC— this verse
Fall of Samaria and Deportation
The Assyrian king Shalmaneser V, and later Sargon II, conquered the Northern Kingdom of Israel, destroying its capital Samaria and deporting a significant portion of its population to other parts of the empire. This event fulfilled prophecies of judgment and marked the end of Israel as an independent kingdom.
Post-exilic period
Return and Restoration Efforts
After the Babylonian exile (which affected the Southern Kingdom of Judah), remnants of the Israelite people gradually returned to their land. This period saw efforts to re-establish religious and community life, often accompanied by a renewed longing for God's presence and favor.
This passage echoes the desire for intimate knowledge of God, promising a new covenant where all will know the Lord, directly aligning with Hosea's call to 'know the LORD.'
Psalm 72:6The imagery of the Lord coming 'as rain' and 'as showers that water the earth' is directly paralleled here, highlighting the life-giving and refreshing nature of God's presence and blessing.
Isaiah 58:8This verse describes God's deliverance and restoration breaking forth 'as the morning,' mirroring Hosea's metaphor for God's certain and glorious return to His people.
John 17:3Jesus Himself connects true knowledge of God with eternal life, reinforcing the profound significance of the 'know the LORD' pursuit central to Hosea 6:3.
James 5:7This passage uses the 'early and latter rain' as a metaphor for God's patience and the certainty of His coming, connecting with Hosea's agricultural imagery for God's faithfulness.
barnesHosea 6:3: "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."
Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the Lord - Rather, "Then shall we know, shall follow on to know the Lord," i. e., we shall not only know Him, but we shall grow continually in that knowledge. Then, in Israel, God says, "there was no knowledge of Him;" His "people was destroyed for lack of it…
clarkeHosea 6:3: "Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth."
Then shall we know - We shall have the fullest evidence that we have not believed in vain. If we follow on to know the Lord - If we continue to be as much in earnest as we now are. His going forth - The manifestation of his mercy to our souls is as certain as the rising of the sun at the appointed time…
The promise of God's return is presented not just as a relief, but as an active, progressive renewal, like the dawn that brightens and the rains that revitalize the land, implying a continuous and deepening relationship, not a one-time event.
After a plea for Israel to return to the Lord, this verse expresses their renewed commitment to seek God and His knowledge. They anticipate His return with the certainty of dawn and the life-giving power of rain, implying a desire for His presence to revive their barren spiritual land. This hopeful declaration, however, is soon contrasted with God's view of their superficial repentance, highlighting the disconnect between their words and their hearts.
After a plea for Israel to return to the Lord, this verse expresses their renewed commitment to seek God and His knowledge. They anticipate His return with the certainty of dawn and the life-giving power of rain, implying a desire for His presence to revive their barren spiritual land. This hopeful declaration, however, is soon contrasted with God's view of their superficial repentance, highlighting the disconnect between their words and their hearts.
"Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”" — The promise of God's return is presented not just as a relief, but as an active, progressive renewal, like the dawn that brightens and the rains that revitalize the land, implying a continuous and de…
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Last reviewed October 2026