Surely, you won’t hold a grudge against me forever, right? You won’t always be angry with me, will you?’ This is only what you say, but you keep on doing all the evil you can get away with!”
Go and carry this message to those living in the north: “ ‘Yahweh is speaking to you, unfaithful Israel: Return to me. For my faithful love for you never ends. No frown of mine awaits you, declares Yahweh. I will not remain angry with you forever, for I am merciful, declares Yahweh.
You will not find me continually accusing them or holding anger against them, lest they feel defeated and lose heart before me. For I am the One who gave the breath of life to my people.
So why have you, the people of Jerusalem, continually refused to turn back to me? Why do you cling so tightly to your deception instead of coming home to me?’ ”
I have listened carefully to what they say, but nothing they say is right. No one is sorry about his sin, saying, “What have I done wrong?” Everyone keeps on going his own way, like a war-horse plunging headlong into battle.