1 ` Come, and we turn back unto Jehovah, For He hath torn, and He doth heal us, He doth smite, and He bindeth us up.

Come, and let us return to the Lord; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up.

2 H e doth revive us after two days, In the third day He doth raise us up, And we live before Him.

After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.

3 A nd we know -- we pursue to know Jehovah, As the dawn prepared is His going forth, And He cometh in as a shower to us, As gathered rain -- sprinkling earth.'

Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the Lord. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth. Impenitence of Israel and Judah

4 W hat do I do to thee, O Ephraim? What do I do to thee, O Judah? Your goodness as a cloud of the morning, And as dew rising early -- going.

“O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away.

5 T herefore I have hewed by prophets, I have slain them by sayings of My mouth, And My judgments to the light goeth forth.

Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth.

6 F or kindness I desired, and not sacrifice, And a knowledge of God above burnt-offerings.

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

7 A nd they, as Adam, transgressed a covenant, There they dealt treacherously against me.

“But like men they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me.

8 G ilead a city of workers of iniquity, Slippery from blood.

Gilead is a city of evildoers And defiled with blood.

9 A nd as bands do wait for a man, A company of priests do murder -- the way to Shechem, For wickedness they have done.

As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, So the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they commit lewdness.

10 I n the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing, There the whoredom of Ephraim -- defiled is Israel.

I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: There is the harlotry of Ephraim; Israel is defiled.

11 A lso, O Judah, appointed is a harvest to thee, In My turning back the captivity of My people!

Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you, When I return the captives of My people.