Jeremiah 3:6-14

During Josiah’s reign as king of Judah, YAHWEH asked me, “Did you see what unfaithful Israel has done? Like an adulterous wife, she has turned away from me. In every high place and under every green tree, she has prostituted herself to worship other gods. I thought that after all she had done, she would return to me, but she did not return. Meanwhile her treacherous sister, Judah, looked on. She saw me give unfaithful Israel her divorce papers and send her away because of her continued adultery. Her treacherous sister, Judah, likewise had no fear; she, too, acted like a prostitute. Her infidelity mattered little to her. She polluted the land and committed adultery by worshiping idolatrous stone and wood pillars. Even after all this, Israel’s treacherous sister, Judah, refused to return to me with her whole heart; instead, she came with only deceitful lies,” declared YAHWEH. And YAHWEH continued, “Even unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. Go and carry this message to those living in the north: “ ‘YAHWEH is speaking to you, unfaithful Israel: Return to me. For my faithful love for you never ends. No frown of mine awaits you, declares YAHWEH. I will not remain angry with you forever, for I am merciful, declares YAHWEH. Only admit your guilt! You have rebelled against YAHWEH your God. You have lavished your love on foreign gods under every green tree. You have not listened to my voice. I, YAHWEH, have spoken.’ ” “ ‘I say to you, Come back to me, my wayward children, and I will restore you. I will take you, one from each city and two from each clan, and bring you home to Zion because I alone am your true husband.’ ”