Add parallel Print Page Options

A Call to Repentance

“Come, let us return to the Lord,
    for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us;
    he has struck down, and he will bind us up.(A)
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 appearing is as sure as the dawn;
he will come to us like the showers,
    like the spring rains that water the earth.”(B)

Impenitence of Israel and Judah

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

But at[b] Adam they transgressed the covenant;
    there they dealt faithlessly with me.
Gilead is a city of evildoers,
    tracked with blood.
As robbers lie in wait[c] for someone,
    so the priests are banded together;[d]
they murder on the road to Shechem;
    they commit a monstrous crime.(F)
10 In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing;
    Ephraim’s prostitution is there; Israel is defiled.(G)

11 For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed.

When I would restore the fortunes of my people,(H)

Footnotes

  1. 6.5 Gk Syr: Heb your
  2. 6.7 Cn: Heb like
  3. 6.9 Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain
  4. 6.9 Syr: Heb are a company

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,