For I am the Lord your God, the one who takes hold of your right hand, who says to you, ‘Don’t be afraid, I am helping you.’

For the sake of my servant Jacob, Israel, my chosen one, I call you by name and give you a title of respect, even though you do not recognize me.

They will disappoint you, those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth. Each strays off in his own direction, leaving no one to rescue you.”

For the sake of my reputation I hold back my anger; for the sake of my prestige I restrain myself from destroying you.

These double disasters confronted you. But who feels sorry for you? Destruction and devastation, famine and sword. But who consoles you?

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.

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

That is why the rains have been withheld, and the spring rains have not come. Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute. You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done.

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.

Then I said, “Look up, Jerusalem, and see the enemy that is coming from the north. Where now is the flock of people that were entrusted to your care? Where now are the ‘sheep’ that you take such pride in?

You may feel as secure as a bird nesting in the cedars of Lebanon. But oh how you will groan when the pains of judgment come on you. They will be like those of a woman giving birth to a baby.

The Lord told me, “Make a yoke out of leather straps and wooden crossbars and put it on your neck.

‘Call on me in prayer and I will answer you. I will show you great and mysterious things which you still do not know about.’

Moab, you are doomed! You people who worship Chemosh will be destroyed. Your sons will be taken away captive. Your daughters will be carried away into exile.

If grape pickers came to pick your grapes, would they not leave a few grapes behind? If robbers came at night, would they not pillage only what they needed?

He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.

You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his.

“‘After all of your evil – “Woe! Woe to you!” declares the sovereign Lord –

Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting covenant with you.

I will do these things to you because you engaged in prostitution with the nations, polluting yourself with their idols.