1 “ Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

“Come, and let us return to Yahweh; for he has torn us to pieces, and he will heal us; he has injured us, and he will bind up our wounds.

2 “ He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, That we may live before Him.

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

3 “ So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

Let us acknowledge Yahweh. Let us press on to know Yahweh. As surely as the sun rises, Yahweh will appear. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain that waters the earth.”

4 W hat shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning cloud And like the dew which goes away early.

“Ephraim, what shall I do to you? Judah, what shall I do to you? For your love is like a morning cloud, and like the dew that disappears early.

5 T herefore I have hewn them in pieces by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And the judgments on you are like the light that goes forth.

Therefore I have cut them to pieces with the prophets; I killed them with the words of my mouth. Your judgments are like a flash of lightning.

6 F or I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, And in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

For I desire mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

7 B ut like Adam they have transgressed the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously against Me.

But they, like Adam, have broken the covenant. They were unfaithful to me, there.

8 G ilead is a city of wrongdoers, Tracked with bloody footprints.

Gilead is a city of those who work iniquity; it is stained with blood.

9 A nd as raiders wait for a man, So a band of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they have committed crime.

As gangs of robbers wait to ambush a man, so the company of priests murder on the path toward Shechem, committing shameful crimes.

10 I n the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing; Ephraim’s harlotry is there, Israel has defiled itself.

In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing. There is prostitution in Ephraim. Israel is defiled.

11 A lso, O Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, When I restore the fortunes of My people.

“Also, Judah, there is a harvest appointed for you, when I restore the fortunes of my people.