| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1"Come, let us return to the LORD; even though he has torn us, he will heal us. Even though he has wounded us, he will bind our wounds. | 1"Come on! Let's return to the LORD! He himself has torn us to pieces, but he will heal us! He has injured us, but he will bandage our wounds! |
| 2After two days, he will restore us to life, on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live in his presence. | 2He will restore us in a very short time; he will heal us in a little while, so that we may live in his presence. |
| 3Let us know, let us pursue knowledge of the LORD; his coming is as certain as the dawn. He will come to us like the rain, like the autumn and spring rains come on the earth. | 3So let us acknowledge him! Let us seek to acknowledge the LORD! He will come to our rescue as certainly as the appearance of the dawn, as certainly as the winter rain comes, as certainly as the spring rain that waters the land." |
| 4"What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? Your love is like a morning rain cloud— it passes away like the morning dew. | 4What am I going to do with you, O Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, O Judah? For your faithfulness is as fleeting as the morning mist; it disappears as quickly as dawn's dew! |
| 5Therefore I cut them to pieces by the prophets, killing them by the words from my mouth. The verdict against you shines like a beacon. | 5Therefore, I will certainly cut you into pieces at the hands of the prophets; I will certainly kill you in fulfillment of my oracles of judgment; for my judgment will come forth like the light of the dawn. |
| 6For it is love that I seek, and not sacrifice; knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. | 6For I delight in faithfulness, not simply in sacrifice; I delight in acknowledging God, not simply in whole burnt offerings. |
| 7"But like Adam, they broke the covenant; in this they have acted deceitfully against me. | 7At Adam they broke the covenant; Oh how they were unfaithful to me! |
| 8Gilead is a lawless town; it is polluted by bloodshed. | 8Gilead is a city full of evildoers; its streets are stained with bloody footprints! |
| 9Like a gang of thieves that stalk a man, priests commit murder along the road to Shechem, committing shameful crimes. | 9The company of priests is like a gang of robbers, lying in ambush to pounce on a victim. They commit murder on the road to Shechem; they have done heinous crimes! |
| 10I have seen a horrible evil in the house of Israel— Ephraim's promiscuity. Israel is defiled. | 10I have seen a disgusting thing in the temple of Israel: there Ephraim practices temple prostitution and Judah defiles itself. |
| 11"So, Judah, a harvest has been appointed for you when I restore my people from captivity." | 11I have appointed a time to reap judgment for you also, O Judah! If Israel Would Repent of Sin, God Would Relent of Judgment Whenever I want to restore the fortunes of my people, |
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