As a mother consoles a child, so I will console you, and you will be consoled over Jerusalem.”

I answered, “Oh, Lord God, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.”

I planted you in the land like a special vine of the very best stock. Why in the world have you turned into something like a wild vine that produces rotten, foul-smelling grapes?

When they have drunk it, they will stagger to and fro and act insane. For I will send wars sweeping through them.”

But listen to what I say to you and to all these people.

Then you will live in the land I gave to your fathers; you will be my people, and I will be your God.

However, in the future I will allure her; I will lead her back into the wilderness, and speak tenderly to her.

Yet it was I who led Ephraim, I took them by the arm; but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them.

“I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again as in the days of old.

I spoke to the prophets; I myself revealed many visions; I spoke in parables through the prophets.”

But I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Therefore, you must not acknowledge any God but me; except me there is no Savior.

Look! I will press you down, like a cart loaded down with grain presses down.

Listen to this funeral song I am ready to sing about you, family of Israel:

Then in the dream God replied to him, “Yes, I know that you have done this with a clear conscience. That is why I have kept you from sinning against me and why I did not allow you to touch her.

The Lord appeared to him that night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham. Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will bless you and multiply your descendants for the sake of my servant Abraham.”

Then Moses said to the Lord, “O my Lord, I am not an eloquent man, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.”

Did I conceive this entire people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, ‘Carry them in your arms, as a foster father bears a nursing child,’ to the land which you swore to their fathers?

Do not add a thing to what I command you nor subtract from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am delivering to you.

So I am legally informing you: Acquire it before those sitting here and before the leaders of my people! If you want to exercise your right to redeem it, then do so. But if not, then tell me so I will know. For you possess the first option to redeem it; I am next in line after you.” He replied, “I will redeem it.”

Nathan said to David, “You are that man! This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I chose you to be king over Israel and I rescued you from the hand of Saul.