19 “ ‘I said,

How I would set you among my sons,

and give you a pleasant land,

a heritage most beautiful of all nations.

And I thought you would call me, My Father,

and would not turn from following me.

20 Surely, as a treacherous wife leaves her husband,

so have you been treacherous to me, O house of Israel,

declares the Lord.’ ”

19 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. 20 Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the Lord.

19 “I thought to myself,

‘I would love to treat you as my own children!’

I wanted nothing more than to give you this beautiful land—

the finest possession in the world.

I looked forward to your calling me ‘Father,’

and I wanted you never to turn from me.

20 But you have been unfaithful to me, you people of Israel!

You have been like a faithless wife who leaves her husband.

I, the Lord, have spoken.”

19 “But I said:

‘How can I put you among the children

And give you a pleasant land,

A beautiful heritage of the hosts of nations?’

“And I said:

‘You shall call Me, “My Father,”

And not turn away from Me.’

20 Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her husband,

So have you dealt treacherously with Me,

O house of Israel,” says the Lord.

19 “I, the Lord, said,

‘How happy I would be to treat you as my own children

and give you a pleasant land,

a land more beautiful than that of any other nation.’

I thought you would call me ‘My Father’

and not turn away from me.

20 But like a woman who is unfaithful to her husband,

family of Israel, you have been unfaithful to me,” says the Lord.

19 But I said, How I will put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of the nations! and I said, Ye shall call me My Father, and shall not turn away from following me. 20 Surely as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah.

19 And as for me, I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee the pleasant land, the goodly inheritance of the hosts of the nations? And I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from following me.

20 Surely as a woman treacherously departeth from her companion, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith Jehovah.

19 “I wanted to treat you like children 

and give you a pleasant land, 

the most beautiful property among the nations. 

I thought that you would call me Father and wouldn’t turn away from me. 

20 But like a wife who betrays her husband, 

so you, nation of Israel, betrayed me,” declares the Lord. 

19 I thought: How I long to make you My sons

and give you a desirable land,

the most beautiful inheritance 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,

so you have betrayed Me, house of Israel.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

19 I thought

how I would set you among my children,

and give you a pleasant land,

the most beautiful heritage of all the nations.

And I thought you would call me, My Father,

and would not turn from following me.

20 Instead, as a faithless wife leaves her husband,

so you have been faithless to me, O house of Israel,

says the Lord.

19 Then I thought, ‘How I would set you among the children,

and I would give you a land of desire,

an inheritance of the glory of the hosts of nations.’

And I thought, ‘You would call me, “My father,”

and you would not turn back from behind me.’

20 However, as a wife departs treacherously from her lover,

so you have dealt treacherously with me,

O house of Israel,” declares Yahweh.

19 “I myself said,

“ ‘I would gladly treat you like my children.

I would give you a pleasant land.

It is the most beautiful land any nation could have.’

I thought you would call me ‘Father.’

I hoped you would always follow me.

20 But you people are like a woman who is not faithful to her husband.

Israel, you have not been faithful to me,”

announces the Lord.

19 “Then I said,

‘How I would set you among My sons

And give you a pleasant land,

The most beautiful inheritance of the nations!’

And I said, ‘You shall call Me, My Father,

And not turn away from following Me.’

20 “Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her lover,

So you have dealt treacherously with Me,

O house of Israel,” declares the Lord.