[1] "Come, let's go back to the LORD. He has hurt us, but he will heal us. He has wounded us, but he will bandage our wounds. [2] In two days he will put new life in us; on the third day he will raise us up so that we may live in his presence [3] and know him. Let's try to learn about the LORD; he will come to us as surely as the dawn comes. He will come to us like rain, like the spring rain that waters the ground." [4] The LORD says, "Israel, what should I do with you? Judah, what should I do with you? Your faithfulness is like a morning mist, like the dew that goes away early in the day. [5] I have warned you by my prophets that I will kill you and destroy you. My justice comes out like bright light. [6] I want faithful love more than I want animal sacrifices. I want people to know me more than I want burnt offerings. [7] But they have broken the agreement as Adam did; they have been unfaithful to me. [8] Gilead is a city of people who do evil; their footprints are bloody. [9] The priests are like robbers waiting to attack people; they murder people on the road to Shechem and do wicked things. [10] I have seen horrible things in Israel. Look at Israel's prostitution; Israel has become unclean. [11] "Judah, I have set a harvest time for you when I will make the lives of my people good again.
