"Goand proclaimthesewordstoward the northand say,Return,faithlessIsrael,'declaresthe LORD;I will not lookupon you in anger. For I am gracious,'declaresthe LORD;'I will not be angryforever.
"Ifyou dowell,will not [your countenance] be liftedup? And ifyou do not dowell,sinis crouchingat the door;and its desireis for you, but you must masterit."
In the daysof Pekahkingof Israel,Tiglath-pileserkingof Assyriacameand capturedIjonand Abel-beth-maacahand Janoahand Kedeshand Hazorand Gileadand Galilee,allthe landof Naphtali;and he carriedthem captiveto Assyria.
untilthe LORDremovedIsraelfrom His sight,as He spokethroughallHis servantsthe prophets.So Israelwas carriedawayinto exilefrom their own landto Assyriauntilthisday.
In the ninthyearof Hoshea,the kingof AssyriacapturedSamariaand carriedIsraelawayinto exileto Assyria,and settledthem in Halahand Habor,[on] the riverof Gozan,and in the citiesof the Medes.
Now it cameabout in the thirdyearof Hoshea,the sonof Elahkingof Israel,that Hezekiahthe sonof Ahazkingof Judahbecameking.
"Nowit is in my heartto makea covenantwith the LORDGodof Israel,that His burningangermay turnawayfrom us.
"For if you returnto the LORD,your brothersand your sons[will find] compassionbeforethose who ledthem captiveand will returnto thisland.For the LORDyour Godis graciousand compassionate,and will not turn[His] faceawayfrom you ifyou returnto Him."
But the lovingkindnessof the LORDis from everlastingto everlastingon those who fearHim, And His righteousnessto children'schildren,
The LORDis compassionateand gracious,Slowto angerand aboundingin lovingkindness.
He will not alwaysstrive[with us], Norwill He keep[His anger] forever.
The LORDis graciousand merciful;Slowto angerand greatin lovingkindness.
Howlong,O LORD?Will You be angryforever?Will Your jealousyburnlikefire?
But You, O Lord,are a Godmercifuland gracious,Slowto angerand abundantin lovingkindnessand truth.
For You, Lord,are good,and readyto forgive,And abundantin lovingkindnessto allwho callupon You.
He who concealshis transgressionswill not prosper,But he who confessesand forsakes[them] will findcompassion.
Returnto Him from whomyou have deeplydefected,O sonsof Israel.
"I have wipedout your transgressionslike a thickcloudAnd your sinslike a heavymist.Returnto Me, for I have redeemedyou."
And the LORDsaidto me, "Proclaimallthesewordsin the citiesof Judahand in the streetsof Jerusalem,saying,Hearthe wordsof thiscovenantand dothem.
"And it will comeabout that afterI have uprootedthem, I will againhavecompassionon them; and I will bringthem back,eachoneto his inheritanceand eachoneto his land.
but, 'As the LORDlives,whobroughtup and ledback the descendantsof the householdof Israelfrom [the] northlandand from allthe countrieswhereI had driventhem.' Then they will liveon their own soil."
[God] says,"Ifa husbanddivorceshis wifeAnd she goesfrom him And belongsto anotherman,Will he stillreturnto her? Will not that landbe completelypolluted?But you are a harlot[with] manylovers;Yet you turnto Me," declaresthe LORD.
Return,O faithlesssons,'declaresthe LORD;For I am a masterto you, And I will takeyou onefrom a cityand twofrom a family,And I will bringyou to Zion.'
"In thosedaysthe houseof Judahwill walkwith the houseof Israel,and they will cometogetherfrom the landof the northto the landthat I gaveyour fathersas an inheritance.
"Return,O faithlesssons,I will healyour faithlessness.""Behold,we cometo You; For You are the LORDour God.
Will He be angryforever?Will He be indignantto the end?'Behold,you have spokenAnd have doneevilthings,And you have hadyour way."
"I thought,'Aftershe has doneallthesethingsshe will returnto Me'; but she did not return,and her treacheroussisterJudahsawit.
For I am with you,' declaresthe LORD,'to saveyou; For I will destroycompletelyallthe nationswhereI have scatteredyou, OnlyI will not destroyyou completely.But I will chastenyou justlyAnd will by nomeansleaveyou unpunished.'
"Is EphraimMy dearson?Is he a delightfulchild?Indeed,as oftenas I have spokenagainst him, I certainly[still] rememberhim; ThereforeMy heartyearnsfor him; I will surelyhavemercyon him," declaresthe LORD.
"Setup for yourself roadmarks,Placefor yourself guideposts;Directyour mindto the highway,The wayby which you went.Return,O virginof Israel,Returnto theseyour cities.
"Behold,I am bringingthem from the northcountry,And I will gatherthem from the remotepartsof the earth,Among them the blindand the lame,The womanwith childand she who is in laborwith child, together;A greatcompany,they will returnhere.
thenI would rejectthe descendantsof Jacoband DavidMy servant,not takingfrom his descendantsrulersoverthe descendantsof Abraham,Isaacand Jacob.But I will restoretheir fortunesand will havemercyon them.'"
"Ifyou will return,O Israel,"declaresthe LORD,"[Then] you should returnto Me. And ifyou will putawayyour detestedthingsfrom My presence,And will not waver,
The LORD'Slovingkindnessesindeednevercease,For His compassionsneverfail.
"Thereforesay,'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"I will gatheryou from the peoplesand assembleyou out of the countriesamong whichyou have been scattered,and I will giveyou the landof Israel."'
"Sayto them, 'As I live!'declaresthe LordGOD,'I takenopleasurein the deathof the wicked,but ratherthat the wickedturnfrom his wayand live.Turnback,turnbackfrom your evilways!Whythen will you die,O houseof Israel?'
Thereforethussaysthe LordGOD,"NowI will restorethe fortunesof Jacoband havemercyon the wholehouseof Israel;and I will be jealousfor My holyname.
"Come,let us returnto the LORD.For He has torn[us], but He will healus; He has wounded[us], but He will bandageus.
If they confesstheir iniquityand the iniquityof their forefathers,in their unfaithfulnesswhichthey committedagainst Me, and alsoin their actingwith hostilityagainstMe--
"Do not be like your fathers,to whomthe formerprophetsproclaimed,saying,'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Returnnowfrom your evilwaysand from your evildeeds."'But they did not listenor giveheedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
and you returnto the LORDyour Godand obeyHim with allyour heartand soulaccording to allthat I commandyou today,you and your sons,
