The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 3 Israel and Judah are urged to repent with the promise of redemption

 The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 3

Israel and Judah are urged to repent with the promise of redemption

6 The Lord said in the days of King Josiah: “Have you seen what rebellious Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every green tree and has prostituted herself there.

7 After she had done all this, I said, ‘Return to me,’ but she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

8 When I sent her away because of all this—because rebellious Israel had committed adultery—and gave her a certificate of divorce, her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; she went away and prostituted herself.

9 Because of the fame of her prostitution, she defiled the land; she committed adultery with stone and wood.” 

10 Yet even after all this, her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with a sincere heart, but deceitfully, declares the Lord.

11 Then the Lord said to me, “Rebellious Israel has justified her soul more than treacherous Judah.

12 Go and proclaim these words toward the north and say, ‘Return, rebellious Israel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you, for I am merciful,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will not keep my anger forever.’

13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the Lord your God, and have spread out your ways to strangers under every green tree, and have not listened to my voice, declares the Lord.

14 Return, rebellious children, declares the Lord; for I will betroth you, and take you, one from a city and two from a generation; And I will bring you to Zion.

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

16 And it shall come to pass, when you multiply and increase in the land, in those days, says the Lord, that they shall no more say, “The ark of the covenant of the Lord,” nor shall it come to mind, nor shall they remember it, nor shall they visit it; this shall not be done anymore.

17 In that day they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord, and all nations shall gather to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem; and they shall no more walk after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel; and they shall come together from the land of the north, to the land which I gave as an inheritance to your fathers.

19 But I said, “How shall I set you among the children, and give you the desirable land, the excellent inheritance of the armies of the nations?” And I said, “You will call me Father, and you will not turn away from me.”

20 “Surely, as a woman treacherously departs from her husband, so treacherously have you dealt with me, O house of Israel,” says the Lord.

21 A voice was heard on the high places, weeping and supplications of the children of Israel; for they have perverted their way, and have forgotten the Lord their God.

22 Return, O rebellious children, I will heal your rebellions. Behold, we come to you; for you are the Lord our God.

23 Surely in vain is the hope of the hills and the multitude of mountains; truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of Israel.

24 For confusion has devoured the labor of our fathers from our youth: their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

25 We lie in our shame; And we are covered with shame, because we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth until this day, and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord our God.