1 Come and let us return to the LORD. For He has torn, and He will heal us; He has stricken, and He will bind us up.
2 After two days He will bring us to life; in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight.
3 Then we shall know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD. His going out is prepared as the morning; and He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain to the earth.
4 O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your goodness [is] like a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goes away.
5 So I have cut [them] down by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth. And your judgments [were as] the light that goes out.
6 For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
7 But, like Adam, they have broken the covenant. They have acted like traitors against Me there.
8 Gilead [is] a city of trouble-makers, slippery with blood marks.
9 And as troops of robbers wait for a man, the company of priests murder [in] the way of Shechem; for they committed wickedness.
10 I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel; the harlotry of Ephraim [is] there; Israel is defiled.
11 Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed to you, when I return the captivity of My people.