| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1O Israel, return to the LORD your God, For you have stumbled because of your iniquity; | 1Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity. |
| 2Take words with you, And return to the LORD. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity; Receive us graciously, For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips. | 2Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips. |
| 3Assyria shall not save us, We will not ride on horses, Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, ‘You are our gods.’ For in You the fatherless finds mercy.” | 3Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our own hands. For in You the fatherless find compassion.” |
| 4“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely, For My anger has turned away from him. | 4I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger has turned away from them. |
| 5I will be like the dew to Israel; He shall grow like the lily, And lengthen his roots like Lebanon. | 5I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. |
| 6His branches shall spread; His beauty shall be like an olive tree, And his fragrance like Lebanon. | 6His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon. |
| 7Those who dwell under his shadow shall return; They shall be revived like grain, And grow like a vine. Their scent shall be like the wine of Lebanon. | 7They will return and dwell in his shade; they will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. |
| 8“Ephraim shall say, ‘What have I to do anymore with idols?’ I have heard and observed him. I am like a green cypress tree; Your fruit is found in Me.” | 8O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me. |
| 9Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; The righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them. | 9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them. |
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