14 "Therefore I am now going to allure her;
I will lead her into the desert
and speak tenderly to her. |
15 There I will give her back her vineyards,
and will make the Valley of Achor1 2:15 Achor means trouble . a door of hope.
There she will sing2 2:15 Or respond as in the days of her youth,
as in the day she came up out of Egypt. |
16 "In that day," declares the LORD ,
"you will call me 'my husband';
you will no longer call me 'my master.3 2:16 Hebrew baal ' |
17 I will remove the names of the Baals from her lips;
no longer will their names be invoked. |
18 In that day I will make a covenant for them
with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air
and the creatures that move along the ground.
Bow and sword and battle
I will abolish from the land,
so that all may lie down in safety. |
19 I will betroth you to me forever;
I will betroth you in4 2:19 Or with ; also in verse 20 righteousness and justice,
in5 2:19 Or with love and compassion. |
20 I will betroth you in faithfulness,
and you will acknowledge the LORD . |
21 "In that day I will respond,"
declares the LORD -
"I will respond to the skies,
and they will respond to the earth; |
22 and the earth will respond to the grain,
the new wine and oil,
and they will respond to Jezreel.6 2:22 Jezreel means God plants . |
23 I will plant her for myself in the land;
I will show my love to the one I called 'Not my loved one.7 2:23 Hebrew Lo-Ruhamah '
I will say to those called 'Not my people,8 2:23 Hebrew Lo-Ammi ' 'You are my people';
and they will say, 'You are my God.' " |
