 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 will live in His sight. 3 Then we will know, if we follow on to know the Lord. His going out is prepared as the morning. And He will 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 troublemakers, slippery with blood marks. 9 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.
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