Israel Unrepentant

6 “Come, let us returnk to the Lord.

He has torn us to piecesl

but he will heal us;m

he has injured us

but he will bind up our wounds.n

2 After two days he will revive us;o

on the third dayp he will restoreq us,

that we may live in his presence.

3 Let us acknowledge the Lord;

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises,

he will appear;

he will come to us like the winter rains,r

like the spring rains that water the earth.s”

4 “What can I do with you, Ephraim?t

What can I do with you, Judah?

Your love is like the morning mist,

like the early dew that disappears.u

5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,

I killed you with the words of my mouthv—

then my judgments go forth like the sun.a w

6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,x

and acknowledgmenty of God rather than burnt offerings.z

7 As at Adam,b they have broken the covenant;a

they were unfaithfulb to me there.

8 Gilead is a city of evildoers,c

stained with footprints of blood.

9 As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,d

so do bands of priests;

they murdere on the road to Shechem,

carrying out their wicked schemes.f

10 I have seen a horribleg thing in Israel:

There Ephraim is given to prostitution,

Israel is defiled.h

11 “Also for you, Judah,

a harvesti is appointed.

“Whenever I would restore the fortunesj of my people,