5. Their mother has acted like a prostitute.The one who became pregnant with them has acted disgracefully.She said, ‘I will chase after my lovers.They give me food and water.They give me wool and linen.They give me wine and olive oil.’
6. So I will block her road with thornbushes.I will build a wall around herso she cannot find her way.
7. She will run after her lovers.But she won’t catch up to them.She will look for them.But she won’t find them.Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband.Life was better for me then than it is now.’
8. But she has not accepted that I was the onewho gave her grain, wine and oil.I gave her much silver and gold.But she used it to make statues of Baal.
9. “So I will take away my grain at harvest time.And I will take away my wine when it is ready.I will take back my wool and linen.I gave her those things to cover her nakedness.
10. So I will show her nakedness to her lovers.No one will save her from my punishment.
11. I will put an end to all her celebrations:her yearly festivals, her New Moon festivals and her Sabbaths.I will stop all of her special feasts.
12. I will destroy her vines and fig trees.She said they were her pay from her lovers.I will turn them into a forest.Wild animals will eat those plants.
13. I will punish her for all the timesshe burned incense to the Baals.She put on her rings and jewelry.Then she went chasing after her lovers.But she has forgotten me!”says the Lord.
14. “So I am going to attract her.I will lead her into the desertand speak tenderly to her.
15. Then I will give her back her vineyards.And I will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.Then she will respond as when she was young,as when she came out of Egypt.”
16. The Lord says, “Then she will call me ‘my husband.’She will no longer call me ‘my baal.’
17. I will never let her say the names of Baal again.Then people won’t use their names anymore.