לְכוּ֙ וְנָשׁ֣וּבָה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֛י ה֥וּא טָרָ֖ף וְיִרְפָּאֵ֑נוּ יַ֖ךְ וְיַחְבְּשֵֽׁנוּ׃ aAs anticipated at the end of chapter 5, Israel seeks the Lord’s favor; His answer begins with v. 4.“Come, let us turn back to the LORD:
He attacked, and He can heal us;
He wounded, and He can bind us up.
יְחַיֵּ֖נוּ מִיֹּמָ֑יִם בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י יְקִמֵ֖נוּ וְנִחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנָֽיו׃ In two days He will make us whole again;
On the third day He will raise us up,
And we shall be whole by His favor.
וְנֵדְעָ֣ה נִרְדְּפָ֗ה לָדַ֙עַת֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה כְּשַׁ֖חַר נָכ֣וֹן מֹֽצָא֑וֹ וְיָב֤וֹא כַגֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ לָ֔נוּ כְּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ י֥וֹרֶה אָֽרֶץ׃ Let us pursue obedience to the LORD,
And we shall become obedient.
His appearance is as sure as daybreak,
And He will come to us like rain,
Like latter rain that refreshesbTaking yoreh as equivalent of yarweh. the earth.”
מָ֤ה אֶֽעֱשֶׂה־לְּךָ֙ אֶפְרַ֔יִם מָ֥ה אֶעֱשֶׂה־לְּךָ֖ יְהוּדָ֑ה וְחַסְדְּכֶם֙ כַּעֲנַן־בֹּ֔קֶר וְכַטַּ֖ל מַשְׁכִּ֥ים הֹלֵֽךְ׃ What can I do for you, Ephraim,
What can I do for you, Judah,cEmendation yields “Israel”; cf. “Ephraim…Israel” in v. 10.
When your goodness is like morning clouds,
Like dew so early gone?
עַל־כֵּ֗ן חָצַ֙בְתִּי֙ בַּנְּבִיאִ֔ים הֲרַגְתִּ֖ים בְּאִמְרֵי־פִ֑י וּמִשְׁפָּטֶ֖יךָ א֥וֹר יֵצֵֽא׃ That is why I have hewn down dEmendation yields “your children”; cf. 9.13.the prophets,-d
Have slain them with the words of My mouth:
eCf. v. 3; but meaning of Heb. uncertain.And the day that dawned [brought on] your punishment.-e
כִּ֛י חֶ֥סֶד חָפַ֖צְתִּי וְלֹא־זָ֑בַח וְדַ֥עַת אֱלֹהִ֖ים מֵעֹלֽוֹת׃ For I desire goodness, not sacrifice;
Obedience to God, rather than burnt offerings.
וְהֵ֕מָּה כְּאָדָ֖ם עָבְר֣וּ בְרִ֑ית שָׁ֖ם בָּ֥גְדוּ בִֽי׃ fMeaning of vv. 7–11 unclear in part.But they, to a man, have transgressed the Covenant.
This is where they have been false to Me:
גִּלְעָ֕ד קִרְיַ֖ת פֹּ֣עֲלֵי אָ֑וֶן עֲקֻבָּ֖ה מִדָּֽם׃ Gilead is a city of evildoers,
Tracked up with blood.
וּכְחַכֵּ֨י אִ֜ישׁ גְּדוּדִ֗ים חֶ֚בֶר כֹּהֲנִ֔ים דֶּ֖רֶךְ יְרַצְּחוּ־שֶׁ֑כְמָה כִּ֥י זִמָּ֖ה עָשֽׂוּ׃ The gang of priests is
Like the ambuscade of bandits
Who murder on the road to Shechem,
For they have encouragedgHeb. “done”; cf. 5.1–3. depravity.
בְּבֵית֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רָאִ֖יתִי (שעריריה) [שַׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּ֑ה] שָׁ֚ם זְנ֣וּת לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם נִטְמָ֖א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ In hEmendation yields “Beth-shean.”the House of Israel-h I have seen
A horrible thing;
Ephraim has fornicated there,
Israel has defiled himself.
גַּם־יְהוּדָ֕ה שָׁ֥ת קָצִ֖יר לָ֑ךְ בְּשׁוּבִ֖י שְׁב֥וּת עַמִּֽי׃ {פ}
iCf. 5.9–10; but meaning of clause uncertain.(Even Judah has reaped a harvest of you!)-i
When I would restore My people’s fortunes,