And LORD said to me, Go again, love a woman beloved of [her] friend, and an adulteress, even as LORD loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods, and love cakes of raisins.
Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him. I will surely have mercy upon him, says LORD.
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? [How] shall I cast thee off, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? [How] shall I set thee as Zeboiim? My heart is turned within me. My compassions are kindled together.
For enough time of life has past for you to accomplish the will of the Gentiles, having gone in debaucheries, lusts, excesses of wine, revelings, drinking parties, and lawless idolatries.
Therefore thus says LORD: I have returned to Jerusalem with mercies. My house shall be built in it, says LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth over Jerusalem.
Behold, as the eyes of servants to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes [are] to LORD our God, until he has mercy upon us.
And they lay themselves down beside every altar upon clothes taken in pledge. And in the house of their God they drink the wine of such as have been fined.
But LORD was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither did he cast them from his presence as yet.
And he dealt among all the people, even among the whole multitude of Israel, both to men and women, to every one a cake of bread, and a portion [of flesh], and a cake of raisins. So all the people departed every one to his house.
And they went out into the field, and gathered their vineyards, and trod [the grapes], and held festival, and went into the house of their god, and ate and drank, and cursed Abimelech.
And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings. And the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to revel.
for their mother has played the harlot. She who conceived them has done shamefully, for she said, I will go after my lovers, who give me my bread and my water, my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.