לְכוּ֙ וְנָשׁ֣וּבָה אֶל־יְהֹוָ֔ה כִּ֛י ה֥וּא טָרָ֖ף וְיִרְפָּאֵ֑נוּ יַ֖ךְ וְיַחְבְּשֵֽׁנוּ׃ aAs anticipated at the end of chapter 5, Israel seeks GOD’s favor; the answer begins with v. 4. “Come, let us turn back to GOD:
The One who attacked, and so can heal us;
Who wounded, and so can bind us up.
יְחַיֵּ֖נוּ מִיֹּמָ֑יִם בַּיּוֹם֙ הַשְּׁלִישִׁ֔י יְקִמֵ֖נוּ וְנִחְיֶ֥ה לְפָנָֽיו׃ In two days [God] will make us whole again,
And on the third day raise us up;
God’s favor will make us whole.
וְנֵדְעָ֣ה נִרְדְּפָ֗ה לָדַ֙עַת֙ אֶת־יְהֹוָ֔ה כְּשַׁ֖חַר נָכ֣וֹן מֹצָא֑וֹ וְיָב֤וֹא כַגֶּ֙שֶׁם֙ לָ֔נוּ כְּמַלְק֖וֹשׁ י֥וֹרֶה אָֽרֶץ׃ Let us pursue devotion to GOD,
And we shall become devout.
As sure as daybreak is God’s appearance,
Which will come to us like rain,
Like latter rain that refreshesbrefreshes Taking 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,cJudah Emendation 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 the prophets,dthe prophets Emendation yields “your children”; cf. 9.13.
Have slain them with the words of My mouth:
And the day that dawned [brought on] your punishment.eAnd the day that dawned [brought on] your punishment Cf. v. 3; but meaning of Heb. uncertain.
כִּ֛י חֶ֥סֶד חָפַ֖צְתִּי וְלֹא־זָ֑בַח וְדַ֥עַת אֱלֹהִ֖ים מֵעֹלֽוֹת׃ For I desire goodness, not sacrifice;
Devotion to God, rather than burnt offerings.
וְהֵ֕מָּה כְּאָדָ֖ם עָבְר֣וּ בְרִ֑ית שָׁ֖ם בָּ֥גְדוּ בִֽי׃ fMeaning of vv. 7–11 unclear in part. But they, as human beings [are wont to do],ghuman beings [are wont to do] Or “at Adam,” a town in central Transjordan; cf. Josh. 3.16. 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 encouragedhencouraged Heb. “done”; cf. 5.1–3. depravity.
בְּבֵית֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל רָאִ֖יתִי (שעריריה) [שַׁעֲרֽוּרִיָּ֑ה] שָׁ֚ם זְנ֣וּת לְאֶפְרַ֔יִם נִטְמָ֖א יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ In the House of Israelithe House of Israel Emendation yields “Beth-shean.” I have seen
A horrible thing;
Ephraim has fornicated there,
Israel has defiled himself.
גַּם־יְהוּדָ֕ה שָׁ֥ת קָצִ֖יר לָ֑ךְ בְּשׁוּבִ֖י שְׁב֥וּת עַמִּֽי׃ {פ}
(Even Judah has reaped a harvest of you!)j(Even Judah has reaped a harvest of you!) Cf. 5.9–10; but meaning of clause uncertain.
When I would restore My people’s fortunes,