1At that time—oracle of the Lord—

I will be the God of all the families of Israel,

and they shall be my people.a

2* Thus says the Lord:

The people who escaped the sword

find favor in the wilderness.

As Israel comes forward to receive rest,

3from afar the Lord appears:

With age-old love I have loved you;

so I have kept my mercy toward you.b

4Again I will build you, and you shall stay built,

virgin Israel;

Carrying your festive tambourines,

you shall go forth dancing with merrymakers.

5You shall again plant vineyards

on the mountains of Samaria;

those who plant them shall enjoy their fruits.c

6Yes, a day will come when the watchmen

call out on Mount Ephraim:

“Come, let us go up to Zion,

to the Lord, our God.”d

7For thus says the Lord:

Shout with joy for Jacob,

exult at the head of the nations;

proclaim your praise and say:

The Lord has saved his people,

the remnant of Israel.e

8Look! I will bring them back

from the land of the north;

I will gather them from the ends of the earth,

the blind and the lame in their midst,

Pregnant women, together with those in labor—

an immense throng—they shall return.f

9With weeping they shall come,

but with compassion I will guide them;

I will lead them to streams of water,

on a level road, without stumbling.

For I am a father to Israel,

Ephraim is my firstborn.g

10Hear the word of the Lord, you nations,

proclaim it on distant coasts, and say:

The One who scattered Israel, now gathers them;

he guards them as a shepherd his flock.

11The Lord shall ransom Jacob,

he shall redeem him from a hand too strong for him.h

12Shouting, they shall mount the heights of Zion,

they shall come streaming to the Lord’s blessings:

The grain, the wine, and the oil,

flocks of sheep and cattle;

They themselves shall be like watered gardens,

never again neglected.i

13Then young women shall make merry and dance,

young men and old as well.

I will turn their mourning into joy,

I will show them compassion and have them rejoice after their sorrows.

14I will lavish choice portions on the priests,

and my people shall be filled with my blessings—

oracle of the Lord.

15Thus says the Lord:

In Ramah* is heard the sound of sobbing,

bitter weeping!

Rachel mourns for her children,

she refuses to be consoled

for her children—they are no more!j

16Thus says the Lord:

Cease your cries of weeping,

hold back your tears!

There is compensation for your labor—

oracle of the Lord—

they shall return from the enemy’s land.

17There is hope for your future—oracle of the Lord—

your children shall return to their own territory.k

18Indeed, I heard Ephraim rocking in grief:

You chastised me, and I was chastised;

I was like an untamed calf.

Bring me back, let me come back,

for you are the Lord, my God.l

19For after I turned away, I repented;

after I came to myself, I struck my thigh;*

I was ashamed, even humiliated,

because I bore the disgrace of my youth.m

20Is Ephraim not my favored son,

the child in whom I delight?

Even though I threaten him,

I must still remember him!

My heart stirs for him,

I must show him compassion!—oracle of the Lord.n

21Set up road markers,

put up signposts;

Turn your attention to the highway,

the road you walked.

Turn back, virgin Israel,

turn back to these your cities.

22How long will you continue to hesitate,

rebellious daughter?

The Lord has created a new thing upon the earth:

woman encompasses man.*

“The parents ate unripe grapes,q

and the children’s teeth are set on edge,”*

35Thus says the Lord,

Who gives the sun to light the day,

moon and stars to light the night;

Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar,

whose name is Lord of hosts:v

36If ever this fixed order gives way

before me—oracle of the Lord—

Then would the offspring of Israel cease

as a people before me forever.w

37Thus says the Lord:

If the heavens on high could be measured,

or the foundations below the earth be explored,

Then would I reject all the offspring of Israel

because of all they have done—oracle of the Lord.