A Call to Repentance (Jeremiah 3:11–25; Zechariah 1:1–6)
1 UEB Israel, return to Yahweh your God, for you have fallen because of your iniquity. BSB BSB: Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled by your iniquity.
2 UEB Take with you words and return to Yahweh. Say to him, "Take away all our iniquity and accept what is good, so that we may offer to you the fruit of our lips. BSB BSB: Bring your confessions and return to the LORD. Say to Him: “Take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously, that we may present the fruit of our lips.
3 UEB Assyria will not save us; we will not ride on horses to war. Neither will we say anymore to the work of our hands, 'You are our gods,' for in you the fatherless person finds compassion." BSB BSB: Assyria will not save us, nor will we ride on horses. We will never again say, ‘Our gods!’ to the work of our own hands. For in You the fatherless find compassion.”
A Promise of God’s Blessing 4 UEB "I will heal their turning away; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned away from him. BSB BSB: I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger has turned away from them.
5 UEB I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like a cedar in Lebanon. BSB BSB: I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon.
6 UEB His branches will spread out; his beauty will be like the olive trees, and his fragrance like the cedars in Lebanon. BSB BSB: His shoots will sprout, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance like the cedars of Lebanon.
7 UEB The people who live in his shade will return; they will revive like grain and blossom like vines. His fame will be like the wine of Lebanon. BSB BSB: They will return and dwell in his shade; they will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon.
8 UEB Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a cypress whose leaves are always green; from me comes your fruit." BSB BSB: O Ephraim, what have I to do anymore with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing cypress; your fruit comes from Me.
9 UEB Who is wise that he may understand these things? Who understands these things so that he may know them? For the ways of Yahweh are right, and the righteous will walk in them, but the rebellious will stumble in them. BSB BSB: Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right, and the righteous walk in them but the rebellious stumble in them.