Jeremiah 3:12-25 ▼

12 Go and proclaim these words to the north, and say: ‘Return, O backsliding Israel!’ A declaration of YHWH. ‘I will not cause My face to fall on you?, for I am merciful,’ a declaration of YHWH. ‘I will not keep it forever.

13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, that against YHWH your God you have transgressed, and you have scattered your ways to strangers under every green tree, and you? have not listened to My voice!’” A declaration of YHWH.

14 “Return, backsliding sons!” A declaration of YHWH. “For I am married to you?, and I will take you? one from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you? to Zion.

15 And I will give to you? shepherds according to My heart, and they will shepherd you? with knowledge and understanding.”

16 “And it will come to pass, when you? have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days,” says YHWH, “That they will not say anymore, ‘The ark of the covenant of YHWH, and it shall not come upon the heart, and they will not remember it, and they will not attend to it—and another will not be made.

17 At that time they will call Jerusalem ‘Throne of YHWH,’ and all the nations will be gathered to her, to the name of YHWH, to Jerusalem, and they will not go anymore after the stubborness of their evil hearts.

18 In those days the house of Judah will walk alongside the house of Israel, and they will come together from the land of the north to the land that I have given as an inheritance to your? fathers.

19 and I said, ‘How I would set you among the sons and give to you a pleasant land, the most beautiful heritage of the beauty of the nations!’ And I said, ‘You will call Me My Father, and from Me not turn away.

20 As surely as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so have you? dealt treacherously with Me, O house of Israel!” A declaration of YHWH.

21 A voice on the barren heights is heard, the weeping and pleadings of the sons of Israel. For they have perverted their way; they have forgotten YHWH their God.

22 “Return, O backsliding sons, I will heal your? backsliding.” “Behold, we do come to You, for You are YHWH our God.

23 Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, And from the multitude of mountains! Truly in YHWH our God is the salvation of Israel.

24 And the shame has devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth—their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

25 Let us lie down and let our shame, and let our disgrace cover us; for we have sinned against YHWH our God, we and our fathers, from our youth and to this day, and we have not listened to the voice of YHWH our God.