A Call to Repentance

Come, let’s return to the Lord.(A)
For he has torn us,(B)
and he will heal us;(C)
he has wounded us,
and he will bind up our wounds.(D)
He will revive us after two days,(E)
and on the third day he will raise us up
so we can live in his presence.(F)
Let’s strive to know the Lord.(G)
His appearance is as sure as the dawn.(H)
He will come to us like the rain,(I)
like the spring showers that water the land.

The Lord’s First Lament

What am I going to do with you, Ephraim?(J)
What am I going to do with you, Judah?
Your love is like the morning mist(K)
and like the early dew that vanishes.
This is why I have used the prophets
to cut them down;[a](L)
I have killed them with the words from my mouth.
My judgment strikes like lightning.[b]
For I desire faithful love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God(M) rather than burnt offerings.(N)

But they, like Adam,[c] have violated the covenant;(O)
there they have betrayed me.(P)

Gilead is a city of evildoers,(Q)
tracked with bloody footprints.(R)
Like raiders who wait in ambush for someone,(S)
a band of priests murders on the road to Shechem.(T)
They commit atrocities.(U)
10 I have seen something horrible(V) in the house of Israel:
Ephraim’s promiscuity is there;(W) Israel is defiled.

11 A harvest is also appointed for you, Judah.(X)
When I restore the fortunes of my people,(Y)

Footnotes

  1. 6:5 Or have cut down the prophets
  2. 6:5 LXX, Syr, Tg; MT reads Your judgments go out as light
  3. 6:7 Or they, as at Adam, or they, like men,

Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant

“Come, let us (A)return to the Lord;
    for (B)he has torn us, that he may heal us;
    he has struck us down, and (C)he will bind us up.
After two days (D)he will revive us;
    on the third day he will raise us up,
    that we may live before him.
(E)Let us know; (F)let us press on to know the Lord;
    (G)his going out is sure as the dawn;
he will come to us (H)as the showers,
    (I)as the spring rains that water the earth.”

What shall I do with you, (J)O (K)Ephraim?
    What shall I do with you, O (L)Judah?
Your love is (M)like a morning cloud,
    (N)like the dew that goes early away.
Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets;
    I have slain them (O)by the words of my mouth,
    and my judgment goes forth as the light.
For (P)I desire steadfast love[a] and not sacrifice,
    (Q)the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.

But (R)like Adam they (S)transgressed the covenant;
    (T)there they dealt faithlessly with me.
(U)Gilead is a city of evildoers,
    (V)tracked with blood.
As robbers (W)lie in wait for a man,
    so the priests band together;
they murder on the way to (X)Shechem;
    they commit villainy.
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing;
    (Y)Ephraim's whoredom is there; (Z)Israel is defiled.

11 For you also, O (AA)Judah, (AB)a harvest is appointed.

When (AC)I restore the fortunes of my people,

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 6:6 Septuagint mercy