| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Come, and let us return to the LORD; For He has torn, but He will heal us; He has stricken, but He will bind us up. | 1Come, let us return to the LORD. For He has torn us, and He will heal us; He has wounded us, and He will bind up our wounds. |
| 2After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight. | 2He will revive us after two days, and on the third day He will raise us up so we can live in His presence. |
| 3Let us know, Let us pursue the knowledge of the LORD. His going forth is established as the morning; He will come to us like the rain, Like the latter and former rain to the earth. | 3Let us strive to know the LORD. His appearance is as sure as the dawn. He will come to us like the rain, like the spring showers that water the land. |
| 4“O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away. | 4What am I going to do with you, Ephraim? What am I going to do with you, Judah? Your loyalty is like the morning mist and like the early dew that vanishes. |
| 5Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets, I have slain them by the words of My mouth; And your judgments are like light that goes forth. | 5This is why I have used the prophets to cut them down; I have killed them with the words of My mouth. My judgment strikes like lightning. |
| 6For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. | 6For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings. |
| 7“But like men they transgressed the covenant; There they dealt treacherously with Me. | 7But they, like Adam, have violated the covenant; there they have betrayed Me. |
| 8Gilead is a city of evildoers And defiled with blood. | 8Gilead is a city of evildoers, tracked with bloody footprints. |
| 9As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, So the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem; Surely they commit lewdness. | 9Like raiders who wait in ambush for someone, a band of priests murders on the road to Shechem. They commit atrocities. |
| 10I have seen a horrible thing in the house of Israel: There is the harlotry of Ephraim; Israel is defiled. | 10I have seen something horrible in the house of Israel: Ephraim's promiscuity is there; Israel is defiled. |
| 11Also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed for you, When I return the captives of My people. | 11A harvest is also appointed for you, Judah. When I return My people from captivity, |
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