Dual Panel1Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us, but he will heal us, he has wounded us, but he will bind up our wounds;
2after two days he will revive us, on the third day he will raise us to live in his presence.
3Let us strive to know the LORD, whose coming is as sure as the sunrise. He will come to us like the rain, like spring rains that water the earth.
4How shall I deal with you, Ephraim? How shall I deal with you, Judah? Your loyalty to me is like the morning mist, like dew that vanishes early.
5That is why I have cut them to pieces by the prophets and slaughtered them with my words: my judgement goes forth like light.
6For I require loyalty, not sacrifice, acknowledgement of God rather than whole-offerings.
7At Admah they violated my covenant, there they played me false.
8Gilead is a haunt of evildoers, marked by a trail of blood.
9Like marauders lying in wait, priests are banded together to do murder on the road to Shechem; their behaviour is an outrage.
10At Bethel I have seen a horrible thing: there Ephraim became promiscuous and Israel brought defilement on himself.
11And for you, too, Judah, a harvest of reckoning will come. When I am minded to restore the fortunes of my people,