15I WILL GO I WILL RETURN TO PLACE MY UNTIL THAT THEY WILL BE HELD GUILTY AND THEY WILL SEEK FACE MY WHEN <THE> IT IS DISTRESS TO THEM THEY WILL SEEK EARNESTLY ME 15Then I will return to My place until they admit their guilt and seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me
1COME SO LET US RETURN TO YAHWEH FOR HE HE HAS TORN TO PIECES AND HE WILL HEAL US HE HAS STRUCK AND HE WILL BIND UP US The Unrepentance of Israel and Judah 1Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us to pieces, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bind up our wounds.
2HE WILL RESTORE TO LIFE US FROM TWO DAYS ON THE DAY <THE> THIRD HE WILL RAISE UP US AND WE MAY LIVE <TO> BEFORE HIM 2After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up, that we may live in His presence.
3AND LET US KNOW LET US PURSUE TO KNOW <OBJ.> YAHWEH LIKE [THE] DAWN [IS] STEADFAST GOING FORTH HIS SO HE MAY COME LIKE THE RAIN TO US LIKE [THE] SPRING RAIN [WHICH] IT WATERS [THE] LAND 3So let us know— let us press on to know the LORD. As surely as the sun rises, He will appear; He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the earth.
4WHAT? WILL I DO TO YOU O EPHRAIM WHAT? WILL I DO TO YOU O JUDAH AND LOYALTY YOUR [IS] LIKE A CLOUD OF [THE] MORNING AND LIKE <THE> DEW RISING EARLY GOING 4What shall I do with you, O Ephraim*NoteCloseThat is, the northern kingdom of Israel; also in verse 10? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes.
5THERE- -FORE I WILL CUT [THEM] IN PIECES BY THE PROPHETS I WILL KILL THEM BY [THE] WORDS OF MOUTH MY AND JUDGMENTS YOUR [IS] LIGHT [WHICH] IT GOES FORTH 5Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of My mouth, and My judgments go forth like lightning.
6FOR COVENANT LOYALTY I DESIRE AND NOT SACRIFICE AND [THE] KNOWLEDGE OF GOD MORE THAN BURNT OFFERINGS 6For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,*NoteCloseCited in Matthew 9:13 and Matthew 12:7 and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
7AND THEY LIKE ADAM THEY HAVE TRANSGRESSED [THE] COVENANT THERE THEY DEALT TREACHEROUSLY WITH ME 7But they, like Adam, have transgressed*NoteCloseOr As at Adam, they have transgressed the covenant; there they were unfaithful to Me.
8GILEAD [IS] A TOWN OF DOERS OF WICKEDNESS TRACKED FROM BLOOD 8Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with footprints of blood.
9AND AS WAIT FOR A PERSON MARAUDING BANDS AN ASSOCIATION OF PRIESTS [THE] WAY THEY MURDER SHECHEM TOWARDS FOR WICKEDNESS THEY HAVE DONE 9Like raiders who lie in ambush, so does a band of priests; they murder on the way to Shechem; surely they have committed atrocities.
10IN [THE] HOUSE OF ISRAEL I HAVE SEEN A HORRIBLE [THING] [IS] THERE PROSTITUTION [BELONGS] TO EPHRAIM IT HAS MADE ITSELF UNCLEAN ISRAEL 10In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing: Ephraim practices prostitution there, and Israel is defiled.
11ALSO O JUDAH HE HAS APPOINTED A HARVEST FOR YOU WHEN TURN BACK I [THE] CAPTIVITY OF PEOPLE MY 11Also for you, O Judah, a harvest is appointed, when I restore My people from captivity.*NoteCloseOr restore the fortunes of My people