^3:14“Come back to me, my wayward sons,” says the Lord, “for I am your true master.³¹ If you do,³² I will take one of you from each town and two of you from each family group, and I will bring you back to Zion. ^3:15I will give you leaders³³ who will be faithful to me.³⁴ They will lead you with knowledge and insight.

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Footnotes

26 Heb “Go and proclaim these words to the north.” The translation assumes that the message is directed toward the exiles of northern Israel who have been scattered in the provinces of Assyria to the north.
27 Heb “I will not cause my face to fall on you.”
28 Heb “Only acknowledge your iniquity.”
29 The words “You must confess” are repeated to convey the connection. The Hebrew text has an introductory “that” in front of the second line and a coordinative “and” in front of the next two lines.
30 reads דְּרָכַיִךְ (dérakhayikh, “your ways”), but the editors suggest דּוֹדַיִךְ (dodayikh, “your breasts”) as an example of orthographic confusion. While the proposal makes sense, it remains a conjectural emendation since it is not supported by any actual manuscripts or ancient versions. Heb “scattered your ways with foreign [gods]” or “spread out your breasts to strangers.”
31 Or “I am your true husband.” There is a wordplay between the term “true master” and the name of the pagan god Baal. The pronoun “I” is emphatic, creating a contrast between the Lord as Israel’s true master/husband versus Baal as Israel’s illegitimate lover/master. See 2:23–25.
32 The words, “If you do” are not in the text but are implicit in the connection of the Hebrew verb with the preceding.
33 Heb “shepherds.”
34 Heb “after/according to my [own] heart.”

In other versions

ESVEnglish Standard Version

Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,

“ ‘Return, faithless Israel,

declares the Lord.

I will not look on you in anger,

for I am merciful,

declares the Lord;

I will not be angry forever.

Only acknowledge your guilt,

that you rebelled against the Lord your God

and scattered your favors among foreigners under every green tree,

and that you have not obeyed my voice,

declares the Lord.

Return, O faithless children,

declares the Lord;

for I am your master;

I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,

and I will bring you to Zion.

“ ‘And I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

NIVNew International Version (2011)

Go, proclaim this message toward the north:

“ ‘Return, faithless Israel,’ declares the Lord,

‘I will frown on you no longer,

for I am faithful,’ declares the Lord,

‘I will not be angry forever.

Only acknowledge your guilt—

you have rebelled against the Lord your God,

you have scattered your favors to foreign gods

under every spreading tree,

and have not obeyed me,’ ”

declares the Lord.

“Return, faithless people,” declares the Lord, “for I am your husband. I will choose you—one from a town and two from a clan—and bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.

CSBChristian Standard Bible

Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say,

‘Return, unfaithful Israel.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

I will not look on you with anger,

for I am unfailing in my love.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

I will not be angry forever.

Only acknowledge your guilt—

you have rebelled against the Lord your God.

You have scattered your favors to strangers

under every green tree

and have not obeyed me.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

“ ‘Return, you faithless children—this is the Lord’s declaration—for I am your master, and I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion. I will give you shepherds who are loyal to me, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill.

NLTNew Living Translation

Therefore, go and give this message to Israel. This is what the Lord says:

“O Israel, my faithless people,

come home to me again,

for I am merciful.

I will not be angry with you forever.

Only acknowledge your guilt.

Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God

and committed adultery against him

by worshiping idols under every green tree.

Confess that you refused to listen to my voice.

I, the Lord, have spoken!

“Return home, you wayward children,”

says the Lord,

“for I am your master.

I will bring you back to the land of Israel—

one from this town and two from that family—

from wherever you are scattered.

And I will give you shepherds after my own heart,

who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.

LEBThe Lexham English Bible

Go, and proclaim these words toward the north, and say,

‘Return, apostate Israel,’ declares Yahweh.

‘I will not cause my anger to fall on you.

For I am loyal,’ declares Yahweh.

‘I will not be angry forever.

Only acknowledge your guilt,

that against Yahweh your God you have rebelled,

and have scattered your ways to the strangers under every leafy tree,

and you have not obeyed my voice,’ declares Yahweh.”

“Return, apostate children,” declares Yahweh. “For I am your master, and I will take you one from a city and two from a clan, and I will bring you to Zion. Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart and they will feed you knowledge and insight.

KJV 1900King James Version

Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.

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