Israel unrepentant

1 ‘Come, let us return to the Lord.

He has torn us to pieces

but he will heal us;

he has injured us

but he will bind up our wounds.

2 After two days he will revive us;

on the third day he will restore 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,

like the spring rains that water the earth.’

4 ‘What can I do with you, Ephraim?

What can I do with you, Judah?

Your love is like the morning mist,

like the early dew that disappears.

5 Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,

I killed you with the words of my mouth –

then my judgments go forth like the sun.

6 For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,

and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

7 As at Adam,they have broken the covenant;

they were unfaithful to me there.

8 Gilead is a city of evildoers,

stained with footprints of blood.

9 As marauders lie in ambush for a victim,

so do bands of priests;

they murder on the road to Shechem,

carrying out their wicked schemes.

10 I have seen a horrible thing in Israel:

there Ephraim is given to prostitution,

Israel is defiled.

11 ‘Also for you, Judah,

a harvest is appointed.

‘Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people,

—https://d1b84921e69nmq.cloudfront.net/72/32k/HOS/6-8a424e66462c26559b641f7e822ca43c.mp3?version_id=113—