9. “So I will take away my grain at harvest time.And I will take away my wine when it is ready.I will take back my wool and linen.I gave her those things to cover her nakedness.
10. So I will show her nakedness to her lovers.No one will save her from my punishment.
11. I will put an end to all her celebrations:her yearly festivals, her New Moon festivals and her Sabbaths.I will stop all of her special feasts.
12. I will destroy her vines and fig trees.She said they were her pay from her lovers.I will turn them into a forest.Wild animals will eat those plants.
13. I will punish her for all the timesshe burned incense to the Baals.She put on her rings and jewelry.Then she went chasing after her lovers.But she has forgotten me!”says the Lord.
14. “So I am going to attract her.I will lead her into the desertand speak tenderly to her.
15. Then I will give her back her vineyards.And I will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.Then she will respond as when she was young,as when she came out of Egypt.”
16. The Lord says, “Then she will call me ‘my husband.’She will no longer call me ‘my baal.’
17. I will never let her say the names of Baal again.Then people won’t use their names anymore.
18. At that time I will make an agreement for them.It will be with the wild animals, the birds and the crawling things.I will remove from the landthe bow and the sword and the weapons of war.Then my people will live in safety.
19. And I will make you my promised bride forever.I will be good and fair.I will show you my love and mercy.
20. I will be true to you as my promised bride.Then you will accept that I am the Lord.
21. “And at that time I will answer you,” says the Lord.“I will speak to the skies.And they will give rain to the earth.
22. The earth will produce grain, wine and oil.Much will grow because my people are called Jezreel—God plants.
23. I will plant my people in the land.I will show pity to the one I had called ‘not shown pity.’I will say, ‘You are my people’to those I had called ‘not my people.’And they will say to me, ‘You are our God.’”