Turn Back to the Lord
1 Israel, return! Come back
to the Lord, your God.
Sin has made you fall.
2 Return to the Lord and say,
“Please forgive our sins.
Accept our good sacrifices
of praise instead of bulls.
3 Assyria can't save us,
and chariots can't help.
So we will no longer worship
the idols we have made.
Our Lord, you show mercy
to orphans.”
The Lord Promises To Forgive
4 Israel, you have rejected me,
but my anger is gone;
I will heal you and love you
without limit.
5 I will be like the dew—
then you will blossom like lilies
and have roots like a tree.
6 Your branches will spread
with the beauty
of an olive tree
and with the aroma
of Lebanon Forest.
7 You will rest in my shade,
and your grain will grow.
You will blossom
like a vineyard
and be famous as the wine
from Lebanon.
8 Israel, give up your idols!
I will answer your prayers
and take care of you.
I am that glorious tree,
the source of your fruit.
9 If you are wise, you will know
and understand what I mean.
I am the Lord, and I lead you
along the right path.
If you obey me,
we will walk together,
but if you are wicked,
you will stumble.
1 Samaria shalbe desolate: for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sworde: their infants shalbe dashed in pieces, and their women with childe shalbe ript. 2 O Israel, returne vnto the Lord thy God: for thou hast fallen by thine iniquitie. 3 Take vnto you words, and turne to the Lord, and say vnto him, Take away all iniquitie, and receiue vs graciously: so wil we render the calues of our lippes. 4 Asshur shall not saue vs, neither wil we ride vpon horses, neither will we say any more to the worke of our handes, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie. 5 I wil heale their rebellion: I wil loue them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him. 6 I will be as the dewe vnto Israel: he shall grow as the lilie and fasten his rootes, as the trees of Lebanon. 7 His branches shall spread, and his beautie shalbe as the oliue tree, and his smell as Lebanon. 8 They that dwel vnder his shadow, shall returne: they shall reuiue as the corne, and florish as the vine: the sent thereof shalbe as the wine of Lebanon. 9 Ephraim shall say, What haue I to doe any more with idoles? I haue heard him, and looked vpon him: I am like a greene firre tree: vpon me is thy fruite founde. 10 Who is wise, and he shall vnderstande these things? and prudent, and he shall knowe them? for the wayes of the Lord are righteous, and the iust shall walke in them: but the wicked shall fall therein.