12
Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backslidingIsrael,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.
13
Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every greentree, and ye have not obeyed my voice,saith the LORD.
14
Turn, O backslidingchildren,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:
16
And it shall come to pass, when ye be multiplied and increased in the land, in those days,saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it come to mind: neither shall they remember it; neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more.
17
At that time they shall callJerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evilheart.
18
In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall cometogether out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers.
19
But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasantland, a goodlyheritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me.
21
A voice was heard upon the high places,weeping and supplications of the children of Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God.