1 | Come, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal
us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
|
2 | After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and
we shall live in his sight.
|
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.
|
4 | O Ephraim, what shall I do unto thee? O Judah, what shall I do unto thee?
for your goodness is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.
|
5 | Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the
words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.
|
6 | For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than
burnt offerings.
|
7 | But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt
treacherously against me.
|
8 | Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with
blood.
|
9 | And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder
in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.
|
10 | I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the
whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.
|
11 | Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the
captivity of my people.
|