Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my heart yearneth for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith Yahweh.
Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her heart yearned over her son, and she said, O my master, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
And therefore will Yahweh wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for Yahweh is an Elohim of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto Yahweh, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our Elohim, for he will abundantly pardon.
Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy beauty: where is thy zeal and thy strength, the yearning of thy heart and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained?
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith Yahweh; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith Yahweh, and I will not keep anger for ever.
But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.
Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches that he hath gotten are perished.
Say unto them, As I live, saith the Sovereign Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?
And yet for all that, when they be in the land of their enemies, I will not cast them away, neither will I abhor them, to destroy them utterly, and to break my covenant with them: for I am Yahweh their Elohim.