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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11 The Lord announced to me, “Unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.(A) 12 Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say,

‘Return, unfaithful Israel.(B)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
I will not look on you with anger,[a]
for I am unfailing in my love.(C)
This is the Lord’s declaration.
I will not be angry forever.(D)
13 Only acknowledge your guilt(E)
you have rebelled against the Lord your God.(F)
You have scattered your favors to strangers
under every green tree(G)
and have not obeyed me.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

14 “‘Return, you faithless children(H)—this is the Lord’s declaration—for I am your master,[b](I) and I will take you,(J) one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15 I will give you shepherds who are loyal to me,[c](K) and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill. 16 When you multiply and increase in the land,(L) in those days—this is the Lord’s declaration—no one will say again, “The ark of the Lord’s covenant.”(M) It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. Another one will not be made.[d] 17 At that time Jerusalem will be called The Lord’s Throne,(N) and all the nations will be gathered to it,(O) to the name of the Lord in Jerusalem.(P) They will cease to follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. 18 In those days the house of Judah will join with the house of Israel,(Q) and they will come together from the land of the north to the land I have given your ancestors to inherit.’”(R)

True Repentance

19 I thought, “How I long to make you my sons
and give you a desirable land,
the most beautiful inheritance(S) of all the nations.”
I thought, “You will call me ‘My Father’
and never turn away from me.”
20 However, as a woman may betray her lover,[e]
so you have betrayed(T) me, house of Israel.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

21 A sound is heard on the barren heights:
the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy,
for they have perverted their way;
they have forgotten the Lord their God.(U)

22 Return, you faithless children.
I will heal your unfaithfulness.(V)
“Here we are, coming to you,
for you are the Lord our God.

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Footnotes

  1. 3:12 Lit not cause my face to fall on you
  2. 3:14 Or husband
  3. 3:15 Lit shepherds according to my heart
  4. 3:16 Or It will no longer be done
  5. 3:20 Lit friend