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15 I will return again to my place,
    until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,
    and in their distress they seek me, saying,

A Call to Repentance

“Come, let us return to the Lord;
for he has torn, that he may heal us;
    he has stricken, and he will bind us up.
After two days he will revive us;
    on the third day he will raise us up,
    that we may live before him.
Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord;
    his going forth is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us as the showers,
    as the spring rains that water the earth.”

Impenitence of Israel and Judah

What shall I do with you, O E′phraim?
    What shall I do with you, O Judah?
Your love is like a morning cloud,
    like the dew that goes early away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,
    I have slain them by the words of my mouth,
    and my judgment goes forth as the light.[a]
For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
    the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:5 Gk Syr: Heb thy judgment goes forth

15 Then I will return to my lair(A)
    until they have borne their guilt(B)
    and seek my face(C)
in their misery(D)
    they will earnestly seek me.(E)

Israel Unrepentant

“Come, let us return(F) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(G)
    but he will heal us;(H)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.(I)
After two days he will revive us;(J)
    on the third day(K) he will restore(L) us,
    that we may live in his presence.
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,(M)
    like the spring rains that water the earth.(N)

“What can I do with you, Ephraim?(O)
    What can I do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist,
    like the early dew that disappears.(P)
Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets,
    I killed you with the words of my mouth(Q)
    then my judgments go forth like the sun.[a](R)
For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,(S)
    and acknowledgment(T) of God rather than burnt offerings.(U)

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:5 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.