6. In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, “Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there.
7. I thought: After she has done all these things, she will return to Me. But she didn’t return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
8. I observed that it was because unfaithful Israel had committed adultery that I had sent her away and had given her a certificate of divorce. Nevertheless, her treacherous sister Judah was not afraid but also went and prostituted herself.
9. Indifferent to her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.
10. Yet in spite of all this, her treacherous sister Judah didn’t return to Me with all her heart — only in pretense.”This is the Lord’s declaration.
11. The Lord announced to me, “Unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah.
12. Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say:Return, unfaithful Israel. This is the Lord’s declaration.I will not look on you with anger, for I am unfailing in My love. This is the Lord’s declaration.I will not be angry forever.
13. Only acknowledge your guilt —you have rebelled against the Lord your God. You have scattered your favors to strangersunder every green tree and have not obeyed My voice.This is the Lord’s declaration.
14. “Return, you faithless children” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “for I am your master, and I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.
15. I will give you shepherds who are loyal to Me, and they will shepherd you with knowledge and skill.
16. When you multiply and increase in the land, in those days” — the Lord’s declaration — “no one will say any longer, ‘The ark of the Lord’s covenant.’ It will never come to mind, and no one will remember or miss it. It will never again be made.