1Come 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. 2After two days He will bring us to life; in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight. 3Then we shall know, [if] we follow on to know the LORD. His going out is prepared as the morning; and He shall come to us as the rain, as the latter [and] former rain to the earth. 4O 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. 5So 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. 6For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. 7But, like Adam, they have broken the covenant. They have acted like traitors against Me there. 8Gilead [is] a city of trouble-makers, slippery with blood marks. 9And as troops of robbers wait for a man, the company of priests murder [in] the way of Shechem; for they committed wickedness. 10I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel; the harlotry of Ephraim [is] there; Israel is defiled. 11Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed to you, when I return the captivity of My people.