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 Shechemn 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.