SinceIsraelis stubbornLike a stubbornheifer,Can the LORDnowpasturethem Like a lambin a largefield?
"But they refusedto payattentionand turneda stubbornshoulderand stoppedtheir earsfrom hearing.
So My peopleare benton turningfrom Me. Though they callthem to [the One] on high,Noneat allexalts[Him].
"Althoughour iniquitiestestifyagainst us, O LORD,actfor Your name'ssake!Trulyour apostasieshave beenmany,We have sinnedagainst You.
"Whythen has thispeople,Jerusalem,Turnedawayin continualapostasy?They holdfastto deceit,They refuseto return.
"Yet they did not obeyor inclinetheir ear,but walkedin [their own] counsels[and] in the stubbornnessof their evilheart,and wentbackwardand not forward.
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.
And the LORDsaidto me, "FaithlessIsraelhas provedherselfmorerighteousthantreacherousJudah.
"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.
Then the LORDsaidto me in the daysof Josiahthe king,"Have you seenwhatfaithlessIsraeldid?She wentup on everyhighhilland undereverygreentree,and she was a harlotthere.
[And] rollyou tightlylike a ball,[To be] [cast] into a vastcountry;Thereyou will dieAnd thereyour splendidchariotswill be, You shameof your master'shouse.'
Then the lambswill grazeas in their pasture,And strangerswill eatin the wasteplacesof the wealthy.
"I regretthat I have madeSaulking,for he has turnedbackfrom followingMe and has not carriedout My commands."And Samuelwas distressedand criedout to the LORDallnight.
You, however, I will scatteramong the nationsand will drawout a swordafteryou, as your landbecomesdesolateand your citiesbecomewaste.
And not be like their fathers,A stubbornand rebelliousgeneration,A generationthat did not prepareits heartAnd whose spiritwas not faithfulto God.
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.
"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.
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.
