How shall I deal with thee, O Ephraim, shall I protect thee, O Israel? how shall I make thee as Adama, shall I set thee as Seboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentance is stirred up.
And saying these things, they cast away out of their coasts all the idols of strange gods and served the Lord their God. And he was touched with their miseries.
And the Lord said to him: I have seen the affliction of my people in Egypt, and I have heard their cry; because of the rigour of them that are over the works.
And rising up he came to his father. And when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and was moved with compassion, and running to him fell upon his neck, and kissed him.
Surely Ephraim is an honourable son to me, surely he is a tender child: for since I spoke of him, I will still remember him. Therefore are my bowels troubled for him: pitying, I will pity him, saith the Lord.
And the Lord had mercy on them, and returned to them because of his covenant, which he had made with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. And he would not destroy them, nor utterly cast them away, unto this present time.
Now after a long time the king of Egypt died. And the children of Israel groaning cried out because of the works: and their cry went up unto God from the works.
Thus saith the Lord: Though they were perfect: and many of them so, yet thus shall they be cut off, and he shall pass: I have afflicted thee, and I will afflict thee no more.