1
"They say, 'If a man divorces his wife, And she goes from him And becomes another man's, May he return to her again?' Would not that land be greatly polluted? But you have played the harlot with many lovers; Yet return to Me," says the Lord.
2
"Lift up your eyes to the desolate heights and see: Where have you not lain with men? By the road you have sat for them Like an Arabian in the wilderness; And you have polluted the land With your harlotries and your wickedness.
3
Therefore the showers have been withheld, And there has been no latter rain. You have had a harlot's forehead; You refuse to be ashamed.
4
Will you not from this time cry to Me, 'My father, You are the guide of my youth?
5
Will He remain angry forever? Will He keep it to the end?' Behold, you have spoken and done evil things, As you were able."
6
The Lord said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: "Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot.
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And I said, after she had done all these things, 'Return to Me.' But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
8
Then I saw that for all the causes for which backsliding Israel had committed adultery, I had put her away and given her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but went and played the harlot also.
9
So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.
10
And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not turned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense," says the Lord.
11
Then the Lord said to me, "Backsliding Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
12
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: 'Return, backsliding Israel,' says the Lord; 'I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,' says the Lord; ' I will not remain angry forever.
13
Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the Lord your God, And have scattered your charms To alien deities under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,' says the Lord.
14
"Return, O backsliding children," says the Lord; "for I am married to you. I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.