7. I thought that after she had done all this that she would come back to me. But she didn’t come back, and her treacherous sister Judah saw her.
8. Judah saw that I sent unfaithful Israel away because of her adultery and that I gave Israel her divorce papers. But treacherous Judah, her sister, wasn’t afraid. She also acted like a prostitute.
9. Because she wasn’t concerned about acting like a prostitute, she polluted the land and committed adultery with standing stones and wood pillars.
10. Even after all this, Israel’s treacherous sister Judah didn’t wholeheartedly come back to me. She was deceitful,” declares the Lord.
11. Then the Lord said to me, “Unfaithful Israel was less guilty than treacherous Judah.
12. Go and proclaim these things to the north:“‘Come back, unfaithful Israel.It is the Lord speaking.I will no longer frown on youbecause I’m merciful,’ declares the Lord.‘I will no longer be angry with you.
13. Admit that you’ve done wrong!You have rebelled against the Lord your God.You have given yourself to strangers under every large tree.You have not obeyed me,’ declares the Lord.
14. “Come back, you rebellious people,” declares the Lord. “I’m your husband. I will take you, one from every city and two from every family, and bring you to Zion.
15. I will give you shepherds after my own heart. They will be shepherds who feed you with knowledge and insight.