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. 2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. 3Then 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. 4O 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. 5Therefore 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. 6For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. 8Gilead
is a city of them that work iniquity,
and is
polluted with blood. 9And as troops of robbers wait for a man,
so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness. 10I have seen an horrible thing in the house of Israel: there
is
the whoredom of Ephraim, Israel is defiled. 11Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.