1 In their affliction they will seek me early, saying, Let us go, and return to the Lord our God; for he has torn, and will heal us; 2 he will strike, and bind us up. 3 After two days he will heal us: in the third day we shall arise, and live before him, and shall know him: 4 let us follow on to know the Lord: we shall find him ready as the morning, and he will come to us as the early and latter rain to the earth. 5 What shall I do to you, Ephraim? What shall I do to you, Juda? whereas your mercy is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew that goes away. 6 Therefore have I mown down your prophets; I have slain them with the word of my mouth: and my judgement shall go forth as the light. 7 For I will have mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than whole burnt offerings. 8 But they are as a man transgressing a covenant: 9 there the city Galaad despised me, working vanity, troubling water. 10 And your strength is that of a robber: the priests have hid the way, they have murdered the people of Sicima; for they have wrought iniquity in the house of Israel. 11 I have seen horrible things there, even the fornication of Ephraim: Israel and Juda are defiled; 12 begin together grapes for yourself, when I turn the captivity of my people.