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11 Then the Lord said to me: Faithless Israel has shown herself less guilty than false Judah.(A) 12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say:

Return, faithless Israel,
            says the Lord.
I will not look on you in anger,
    for I am merciful,
            says the Lord;
I will not be angry forever.(B)
13 Only acknowledge your guilt,
    that you have rebelled against the Lord your God
and scattered your favors among strangers under every green tree
    and have not obeyed my voice,
            says the Lord.(C)
14 Return, O faithless children,
            says the Lord,
    for I am your husband;
I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,
    and I will bring you to Zion.(D)

15 I will give you shepherds after my own heart who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.(E) 16 And when you have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the Lord, they shall no longer say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord.” It shall not come to mind or be remembered or missed, nor shall another one be made.(F) 17 At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the Lord in Jerusalem, and they shall no longer stubbornly follow their own evil will.(G) 18 In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your ancestors for a heritage.(H)

19 I thought
    how I would set you among my children
and give you a pleasant land,
    the most beautiful heritage of all the nations.
And I thought you would call to me, “My Father,”
    and would not turn from following me.(I)
20 Instead, as a faithless wife leaves her husband,
    so you have been faithless to me, O house of Israel,
            says the Lord.(J)

21 A voice on the bare heights[a] is heard,
    the plaintive weeping of Israel’s children,
because they have perverted their way;
    they have forgotten the Lord their God:(K)
22 Return, O faithless children,
    I will heal your faithlessness.

“Here we come to you,
    for you are the Lord our God.(L)

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Footnotes

  1. 3.21 Or the trails

11 The Lord said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous(A) than unfaithful(B) Judah.(C) 12 Go, proclaim this message toward the north:(D)

“‘Return,(E) faithless(F) Israel,’ declares the Lord,
    ‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am faithful,’(G) declares the Lord,
    ‘I will not be angry(H) forever.
13 Only acknowledge(I) your guilt—
    you have rebelled against the Lord your God,
you have scattered your favors to foreign gods(J)
    under every spreading tree,(K)
    and have not obeyed(L) me,’”
declares the Lord.

14 “Return,(M) faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband.(N) I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. 15 Then I will give you shepherds(O) after my own heart,(P) who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. 16 In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the Lord, “people will no longer say, ‘The ark(Q) of the covenant of the Lord.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered;(R) it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17 At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne(S) of the Lord, and all nations(T) will gather in Jerusalem to honor(U) the name of the Lord. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.(V) 18 In those days the people of Judah will join the people of Israel,(W) and together(X) they will come from a northern(Y) land to the land(Z) I gave your ancestors as an inheritance.

19 “I myself said,

“‘How gladly would I treat you like my children
    and give you a pleasant land,(AA)
    the most beautiful inheritance(AB) of any nation.’
I thought you would call me ‘Father’(AC)
    and not turn away from following me.
20 But like a woman unfaithful to her husband,
    so you, Israel, have been unfaithful(AD) to me,”
declares the Lord.

21 A cry is heard on the barren heights,(AE)
    the weeping(AF) and pleading of the people of Israel,
because they have perverted their ways
    and have forgotten(AG) the Lord their God.

22 “Return,(AH) faithless people;
    I will cure(AI) you of backsliding.”(AJ)

“Yes, we will come to you,
    for you are the Lord our God.

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