SinceIsraelis stubbornLike a stubbornheifer,Can the LORDnowpasturethem Like a lambin a largefield?
And not be like their fathers,A stubbornand rebelliousgeneration,A generationthat did not prepareits heartAnd whose spiritwas not faithfulto God.
[And] rollyou tightlylike a ball,[To be] [cast] into a vastcountry;Thereyou will dieAnd thereyour splendidchariotswill be, You shameof your master'shouse.'
Then He will give[you] rainfor the seedwhichyou will sowin the ground,and bread[from] the yieldof the ground,and it will be richand plenteous;on that dayyour livestockwill grazein a roomypasture.
Then the lambswill grazeas in their pasture,And strangerswill eatin the wasteplacesof the wealthy.
"Althoughour iniquitiestestifyagainst us, O LORD,actfor Your name'ssake!Trulyour apostasieshave beenmany,We have sinnedagainst You.
And the LORDsaidto me, "FaithlessIsraelhas provedherselfmorerighteousthantreacherousJudah.
Then the LORDsaidto me in the daysof Josiahthe king,"Have you seenwhatfaithlessIsraeldid?She wentup on everyhighhilland undereverygreentree,and she was a harlotthere.
"And I sawthat for allthe adulteriesof faithlessIsrael,I had senther awayand givenher a writof divorce,yet her treacheroussisterJudahdid not fear;but she wentand was a harlotalso.
"I have surelyheardEphraimgrieving,You have chastisedme, and I was chastised,Like an untrainedcalf;Bringme backthat I may be restored,For You are the LORDmy God.
Thereforea lionfrom the forestwill slaythem, A wolfof the desertswill destroythem, A leopardis watchingtheir cities.Everyonewho goesout of them will be tornin pieces,Becausetheir transgressionsare many,Their apostasiesare numerous.
"Yet they did not obeyor inclinetheir ear,but walkedin [their own] counsels[and] in the stubbornnessof their evilheart,and wentbackwardand not forward.
"Whythen has thispeople,Jerusalem,Turnedawayin continualapostasy?They holdfastto deceit,They refuseto return.
Ephraimis a trainedheiferthat lovesto thresh,But I will comeoverher fairneck[with a yoke]; I will harnessEphraim,Judahwill plow,Jacobwill harrowfor himself.
The swordwill whirlagainst their cities,And will demolishtheir gate barsAnd consume[them] becauseof their counsels.
So My peopleare benton turningfrom Me. Though they callthem to [the One] on high,Noneat allexalts[Him].
You, however, I will scatteramong the nationsand will drawout a swordafteryou, as your landbecomesdesolateand your citiesbecomewaste.
"But they refusedto payattentionand turneda stubbornshoulderand stoppedtheir earsfrom hearing.
"I regretthat I have madeSaulking,for he has turnedbackfrom followingMe and has not carriedout My commands."And Samuelwas distressedand criedout to the LORDallnight.
