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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;
my judgments flashed like lightning upon you.

⁶ For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.

⁷ Like Adam, they have broken the covenant-
they were unfaithful to me there.

⁸ Gilead is a city of wicked men,
stained with footprints of blood.

⁹ As marauders lie in ambush for a man,
so do bands of priests;
they murder on the road to Shechem,
committing shameful crimes.

¹⁰ I have seen a horrible thing
in the house of Israel.
There Ephraim is given to prostitution
and Israel is defiled.

¹¹ "Also for you, Judah,
a harvest is appointed.
"Whenever I would restore the fortunes of my people,