He<n id="1" /> returns what was taken in pledge, pays back what he has stolen, and follows the statutes that give life,<n id="2" /> committing no iniquity. He will certainly live &#8211; he will not die.

I will seek the lost and bring back the strays; I will bandage the injured and strengthen the sick, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them &#8211; with judgment!p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Now I will restore<n id="1" /> the fortunes of Jacob, and I will have mercy on the entire house of Israel. I will be zealous for my holy name.

When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will magnify myself among them in the sight of many nations.

But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it will be his until the year of liberty;<n id="1" /> then it will revert to the prince. His inheritance will only remain with his sons.

He said, &#8220;Do you know why I have come to you?<n id="1" /> Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming.

His sons<n id="1" /> will wage war, mustering a large army which will advance like an overflowing river and carrying the battle all the way to the enemy&#8217;s<n id="2" /> fortress.<n id="3" />p>

For the king of the north will again muster an army, one larger than before. At the end of some years he will advance with a huge army and enormous supplies.p>

<p class="poetry">Therefore, I will take back<n id="1" /> my grain during the harvest time<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and my new wine when it ripens;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I will take away my wool and my flaxp> <p class="poetry">which I had provided<n id="4" /> in order to clothe her.<n id="5" />p>

Afterward, the Israelites will turn and seek the <sc>Lordsc> their God and their Davidic king.<n id="1" /> Then they will submit to the <sc>Lordsc> in fear and receive his blessings<n id="2" /> in the future.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God;p> <p class="poetry">because a spirit of idolatry<n id="1" /> controls their heart,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and they do not acknowledge the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">The arrogance of Israel testifies against him,p> <p class="poetry">yet they refuse to return to the <sc>Lordsc> their God!p> <p class="poetry">In spite of all this they refuse to seek him!p>

<p class="poetry">They turn to Baal;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">they are like an unreliable bow.p> <p class="poetry">Their leaders will fall by the swordp> <p class="poetry">because their prayers to Baal<n id="2" /> have made me angry.p> <p class="poetry">So people will disdain them in the land of Egypt.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">They offer up sacrificial gifts to me,p> <p class="poetry">and eat the meat,p> <p class="poetry">but the <sc>Lordsc> does not accept their sacrifices.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Soon he will remember their wrongdoing,p> <p class="poetry">he will punish their sins,p> <p class="poetry">and they will return to Egypt.p>

<p class="poetry">I cannot carry out<n id="1" /> my fierce anger!p> <p class="poetry">I cannot totally destroy Ephraim!p> <p class="poetry">Because I am God, and not man &#8211; the Holy One among you &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">I will not come in wrath!p>

<p class="poetry">Return to the <sc>Lordsc> and repent!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Say to him: &#8220;Completely<n id="2" /> forgive our iniquity;p> <p class="poetry">accept<n id="3" /> our penitential prayer,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">that we may offer the praise of our lips as sacrificial bulls.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Because Damascus has committed three crimes<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">make that four!<n id="2" /> &#8211; I will not revoke myp> <p class="poetry">decree of judgment.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They ripped through Gilead like threshing sledges with iron teeth.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Because Gaza<n id="1" /> has committed three crimes<n id="2" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">make that four!<n id="3" /> &#8211; I will not revoke my decree of judgment.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">They deported a whole community<n id="5" /> and sold them<n id="6" /> to Edom.p>

<p class="poetry">I will remove<n id="1" /> the ruler<n id="2" /> from Ashdod,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">the one who holds the royal scepter from Ashkelon.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">I will strike Ekron<n id="5" /> with my hand;<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">the rest of the Philistines will also die.&#8221;<n id="7" />p> <p class="poetry">The sovereign <sc>Lordsc> has spoken!p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Because Moab has committed three crimes<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">make that four!<n id="2" /> &#8211; I will not revoke my decree of judgment.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They burned the bones of Edom&#8217;s king into lime.<n id="4" />p>