WAGES OF APOSTASY

3 IfF a man divorces his wife

and she leaves him to marry another,

can he ever return to her?aa

Wouldn’t such a landG become totally defiled?

But you!

You have prostituted yourself with many partnersab—

can you return to me?ac

This is the Lord’s declaration.

2 Look to the barren heightsa and see.

Where have you not been immoral?

You sat waiting for them beside the highwaysb

like a nomad in the desert.

You have defiled the land

with your prostitution and wickedness.c

3 This is why the showers haven’t comed—

why there has been no spring rain.

You have the brazen looke of a prostituteA

and refuse to be ashamed.f

4 Haven’t you recently called to me, “My Father!g

You were my friend in my youth.h

5 Will he bear a grudge forever?i

Will he be endlessly infuriated?”

This is what you have said,

but you have done the evil things

you are capable of.

UNFAITHFUL ISRAEL, TREACHEROUS JUDAH

6 In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, “Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there.j 7 I thought, ‘After she has done all these things, she will return to me.’k But she didn’t return, and her treacherous sister Judahl saw it. 8 IB observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce.m Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself.n 9 Indifferent toC her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stoneso and trees.p 10 Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah didn’t return to me with all her heartq—only in pretense.”

This is the Lord’s declaration.

11 The Lord announced to me, “Unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.r 12 Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say,

‘Return, unfaithful Israel.s

This is the Lord’s declaration.

I will not look on you with anger,D

for I am unfailing in my love.t

This is the Lord’s declaration.

I will not be angry forever.u

13 Only acknowledge your guiltv—

you have rebelled against the Lord your God.w

You have scattered your favors to strangers

under every green treex

and have not obeyed me.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

14 “ ‘Return, you faithless childreny—this is the Lord’s declaration—for I am your master,E,z and I will take you,aa one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. 15 I will give you shepherds who are loyal to me,F,ab and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill. 16 When you multiply and increase in the land,ac in those days—this is the Lord’s declaration—no one will say again, “The ark of the Lord’s covenant.”ad It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. Another one will not be made.G 17 At that time Jerusalem will be called The Lord’s Throne,ae and all the nations will be gathered to it,af to the name of the Lord in Jerusalem.ag They will cease to follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts. 18 In those days the house of Judah will join with the house of Israel,ah and they will come together from the land of the north to the land I have given your ancestors to inherit.’ ”ai

TRUE REPENTANCE

19 I thought, “How I long to make you my sons

and give you a desirable land,

the most beautiful inheritanceaj of all the nations.”

I thought, “You will call me ‘My Father’

and never turn away from me.”

20 However, as a woman may betray her lover,H

so you have betrayedak me, house of Israel.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

21 A sound is heard on the barren heights:

the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy,

for they have perverted their way;

they have forgotten the Lord their God.al

22 Return, you faithless children.

I will heal your unfaithfulness.am

“Here we are, coming to you,

for you are the Lord our God.

23 Surely, falsehood comes from the hills,

commotion from the mountains,a

but the salvation of Israel

is only in the Lord our God.b