The Response to God’s Rebuke

¹“Come and let us return [in repentance] to the Lord ,

For He has torn us, but He will heal us;

He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.

²“After two days He will revive us;

On the third day He will raise us up

That we may live before Him. [Is 26:19; Ezek 37:1-10]

³“So let us know and become personally acquainted with Him; let us press on to know and understand fully the [greatness of the] Lord [to honor, heed, and deeply cherish Him].

His appearing is prepared and is as certain as the dawn,

And He will come to us [in salvation] like the [heavy] rain,

Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

The Reply of the Lord

⁴¶O Ephraim, what shall I do with you?

O Judah, what shall I do with you?

For your [wavering] loyalty and kindness are [transient] like the morning cloud

And like the dew that goes away early.

⁵Therefore, I have hewn them in pieces by [the words of] the prophets;

I have slain them by the words of My mouth;

My judgments [pronounced upon them by the prophets] are like the light that shines forth [obvious to all].

⁶For I desire and delight in [steadfast] loyalty [faithfulness in the covenant relationship], rather than sacrifice,

And in the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings. [Matt 9:13; 12:7]

⁷But they, like Adam, have transgressed the covenant;

There they have dealt treacherously against Me.

⁸Gilead is a city of wrongdoers;

It is tracked with bloody footprints .

⁹And as bands of robbers [lie in] wait for a man,

So a band of priests murder on the road toward Shechem [covering their crimes in that city of refuge];

Certainly they have committed crimes and outrages.

¹⁰I have seen a horrible thing [sins of every kind] in the house of Israel!

Ephraim’s prostitution (idolatry) is there; Israel has defiled itself.

¹¹Also, O Judah, there is a harvest [of divine judgment] appointed for you,

When I restore the fortunes of My people [who have been slaves to the misery of sin].