The least of you will multiply into a thousand; the smallest of you will become a large nation. When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!”

to announce the year when the Lord will show his favor, the day when our God will seek vengeance, to console all who mourn,

You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord, a royal turban in the hand of your God.

But those who harvest the grain will eat it, and will praise the Lord. Those who pick the grapes will drink the wine in the courts of my holy sanctuary.”

Why, Lord, do you make us stray from your ways, and make our minds stubborn so that we do not obey you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your inheritance!

In light of all this, how can you still hold back, Lord? How can you be silent and continue to humiliate us?

The sound of battle comes from the city; the sound comes from the temple! It is the sound of the Lord paying back his enemies.

“Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?” asks the Lord. “Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?” asks your God.

Then the Lord said, “You have observed correctly. This means I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out.”

Then the Lord said, “This means destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land.

They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you,” says the Lord.

Now listen to what the Lord has to say, you descendants of Jacob, all you family groups from the nation of Israel.

“So, once more I will state my case against you,” says the Lord. “I will also state it against your children and grandchildren.

Be amazed at this, O heavens! Be shocked and utterly dumbfounded,” says the Lord.

You have brought all this on yourself, Israel, by deserting the Lord your God when he was leading you along the right path.

Then the Lord said to me, “Under the circumstances, wayward Israel could even be considered less guilty than unfaithful Judah.

But, you have been unfaithful to me, nation of Israel, like an unfaithful wife who has left her husband,” says the Lord.

Come back to me, you wayward people. I want to cure your waywardness. Say, ‘Here we are. We come to you because you are the Lord our God.

We know our noisy worship of false gods on the hills and mountains did not help us. We know that the Lord our God is the only one who can deliver Israel.

You must be truthful, honest and upright when you take an oath saying, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’ If you do, the nations will pray to be as blessed by him as you are and will make him the object of their boasting.”