3. If she refuses, I will strip her nakedand leave her bare like the day she was born.I will make her dry like a desert,like a land without water,and I will kill her with thirst.
4. I will not take pity on her children,because they are the children of a prostitute.
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,who give me my food and water,wool and flax, 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 them.She will look for them,but she won’t find them.Then she will say, ‘I will go back to my first husband,because life was better then for me than it is now.’
8. But she does not know that I was the onewho gave her grain, new wine, and oil.I gave her much silver and gold,but she used it for Baal.
9. “So I will come back and take away my grain at harvest timeand my new wine when it is ready.I will take back my wool and linenthat covered her nakedness.
10. So I will show her nakedness to her lovers,and no one will save her from me.
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,which she said were her pay from her lovers.I will turn them into a forest,and wild animals will eat them.
13. I will punish her for all the timesshe burned incense to the Baals.She put on her rings and jewelryand went chasing after her lovers,but she forgot me!”says the Lord.
14. “So I am going to attract her;I will lead her into the desertand speak tenderly to her.
15. There I will give her back her vineyards,and I will make the Valley of Trouble a door of hope.There she will respond as when she was young,as when she came out of Egypt.”
16. The Lord says, “In the future she will call me ‘my husband;’no longer will she call me ‘my baal.’
17. I will never let her say the names of Baal again;people won’t use their names anymore.
18. At that time I will make an agreement for themwith the wild animals, the birds, and the crawling things.I will smash from the landthe bow and the sword and the weapons of war,so my people will live in safety.
19. And I will make you my promised bride forever.I will be good and fair;I will show you my love and mercy.