17. Your future is filled with hope, declares the Lord.Your children will return to their own territory.
18. “I have certainly heard Ephraim mourn and say,‘You disciplined me, and I was disciplined.I was like a young, untrained calf.Turn me, and I will be turned,because you are the Lord my God.
19. After I was turned around, I changed the way I thought and acted.After I was taught a lesson, I hung my head in shame.I was so ashamed and humiliated,because of all the stupid things I have doneever since I was young.’
20. Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child?Even though I have often spoken against him, I still think fondly of him.That is why my heart longs for him,and I will certainly have compassion on him,” declares the Lord.
21. Set up landmarks!Put up road signs!Remember the highway, the road on which you traveled.Come back, my dear people Israel, come back to your cities.
22. How long will you wander around, you unfaithful people?The Lord will create something new on earth:A woman will protect a man.
23. This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: When I have brought them back from captivity, they will once again use this saying in Judah and in its cities:“The Lord bless you, home of righteousness, holy mountain.
24. Judah and all its cities will live there together.Farmers and shepherds will also live there.
25. I will give those who are weary all they need.I will refresh everyone who is filled with sorrow.”
26. At this, I woke up and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant.
27. “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will plant the nations of Israel and Judah with people and animals.
28. Once I watched over them to uproot them, to tear them down, and to wreck, ruin, and hurt them. Now I will watch over them to build them up and to plant them,” declares the Lord.