¹ Come, and let us return to the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

² After two days will he revive us: in the third day will he raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

³ Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he will come to us as the rain, as the latter and former rain to the earth.

⁴ O Ephraim, what shall I do to thee? O Judah, what shall I do to thee? for your goodness is as the morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

⁵ Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth.

⁶ For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.

⁷ But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me.

⁸ Gilead is a city of them that work iniquity, and is polluted with blood.

⁹ And as troops of robbers wait for a man, so the company of priests murder in the way by consent: for they commit lewdness.

¹⁰ I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: there is the prostitution of Ephraim, Israel is defiled.

¹¹ Also, O Judah, he hath set a harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.

¹³ Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towards me is taught by the precept of men: