Again the Lord said to me: Go, love a woman who is loved by her spouse but commits adultery; Just as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.
and distributed among all the people, the entire multitude of Israel, to every man and every woman, one loaf of bread, one piece of meat, and one raisin cake. Then all the people returned to their homes.
But the Lord was gracious with Israel and looked on them with compassion because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was unwilling to destroy them or to cast them out from his presence even up to now.
and distributed to every Israelite, to every man and every woman, a loaf of bread, a piece of meat, and a raisin cake. David’s Directives for the Levites.
Yes, like the eyes of servants on the hand of their masters, Like the eyes of a maid on the hand of her mistress, So our eyes are on the Lord our God, till we are shown favor.
Is Ephraim not my favored son, the child in whom I delight? Even though I threaten him, I must still remember him! My heart stirs for him, I must show him compassion!—oracle of the Lord.
How could I give you up, Ephraim, or deliver you up, Israel? How could I treat you as Admah, or make you like Zeboiim? My heart is overwhelmed, my pity is stirred.
Or I will strip her naked, leaving her as on the day of her birth; I will make her like the wilderness, make her like an arid land, and let her die of thirst.
Therefore, thus says the Lord: I return to Jerusalem in mercy; my house will be rebuilt there—oracle of the Lord of hosts— and a measuring line will be stretched over Jerusalem.
For the time that has passed is sufficient for doing what the Gentiles like to do: living in debauchery, evil desires, drunkenness, orgies, carousing, and wanton idolatry.
They went out into the fields, harvested the grapes from their vineyards, trod them out, and held a festival. Then they went to the temple of their god, where they ate and drank and cursed Abimelech.