"Return,O faithlesssons,I will healyour faithlessness.""Behold,we cometo You; For You are the LORDour God.
"Drawme afteryou [and] let us run[together]! The kinghas broughtme into his chambers.""We will rejoicein you and be glad;We will extolyour lovemorethanwine.Rightlydo they loveyou."
Listen,O heavens,and hear,O earth;For the LORDspeaks,"SonsI have rearedand broughtup, But they have revoltedagainst Me.
You contendedwith them by banishingthem, by drivingthem away.With His fiercewindHe has expelled[them] on the dayof the eastwind.
Returnto Him from whomyou have deeplydefected,O sonsof Israel.
"Because of the iniquityof his unjustgainI was angryand struckhim; I hid[My face] and was angry,And he wenton turningaway,in the wayof his heart.
"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.
For I will restoreyou to healthAnd I will healyou of your wounds,'declaresthe LORD,'Becausethey have calledyou an outcast,saying: "It is Zion;noonecaresfor her."'
"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.
Behold,I will bringto it healthand healing,and I will healthem; and I will revealto them an abundanceof peaceand truth.
"Ifyou will return,O Israel,"declaresthe LORD,"[Then] you should returnto Me. And ifyou will putawayyour detestedthingsfrom My presence,And will not waver,
"ThereforeI will judgeyou, O houseof Israel,eachaccording to his conduct,"declaresthe LordGOD."Repentand turnawayfrom allyour transgressions,so that iniquitymay not becomea stumblingblockto you.
"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?'
Yet I [have been] the LORDyour GodSincethe landof Egypt;And you were not to knowany godexceptMe, For thereis nosaviorbesidesMe.
Return,O Israel,to the LORDyour God,For you have stumbledbecause of your iniquity.
I will healtheir apostasy,I will lovethem freely,For My angerhas turnedawayfrom them.
I will be like the dewto Israel;He will blossomlike the lily,And he will takerootlike [the cedars of] Lebanon.
O Ephraim,whatmorehave I to do with idols?It is I who answerand lookafter you. I am like a luxuriantcypress;From Me comesyour fruit.
Afterwardthe sonsof Israelwill returnand seekthe LORDtheir Godand Davidtheir king;and they will cometremblingto the LORDand to His goodnessin the lastdays.
"Yet evennow,"declaresthe LORD,"Returnto Me with allyour heart,And with fasting,weepingand mourning;
"And I will bringthe thirdpartthrough the fire,Refinethem as silveris refined,And testthem as goldis tested.They will callon My name,And I will answerthem; I will say,They are My people,'And they will say,'The LORDis my God.'"
