15. Then I will give you new rulers who will be faithful to me, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding.
16. In those days there will be many of you in the land,” says the Lord. “At that time people will no longer say, ‘I remember the Ark of the Agreement.’ They won’t think about it anymore or remember it or miss it or make another one.
17. At that time people will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord, and all nations will come together in Jerusalem to show respect to the Lord. They will not follow their stubborn, evil hearts anymore.
18. In those days the family of Judah will join the family of Israel. They will come together from a land in the north to the land I gave their ancestors.
19. “I, the Lord, said,‘How happy I would be to treat you as my own childrenand give you a pleasant land,a land more beautiful than that of any other nation.’I thought you would call me ‘My Father’and not turn away from me.
20. But like a woman who is unfaithful to her husband,family of Israel, you have been unfaithful to me,” says the Lord.
21. You can hear crying on the bare hilltops.It is the people of Israel crying and praying for mercy.They have become very eviland have forgotten the Lord their God.
22. “Come back to me, you unfaithful children,and I will forgive you for being unfaithful.”“Yes, we will come to you,because you are the Lord our God.
23. It was foolish to worship idols on the hillsand on the mountains.Surely the salvation of Israelcomes from the Lord our God.
24. Since our youth, shameful gods have eaten up in sacrificeeverything our ancestors worked for—their flocks and herds,their sons and daughters.
25. Let us lie down in our shame,and let our disgrace cover us like a blanket.We have sinned against the Lord our God,both we and our ancestors.From our youth until now,we have not obeyed the Lord our God.”