Study Desk

But you must return to your God, by maintaining love and justice, and by waiting for your God to return to you.

"I am the Lord your God who brought you out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again as in the days of old.

But I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Therefore, you must not acknowledge any God but me; except me there is no Savior.

Samaria will be held guilty, because she rebelled against her God. They will fall by the sword, their infants will be dashed to the ground— their pregnant women will be ripped open.

Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for your sin has been your downfall!

Get dressed and lament, you priests! Wail, you who minister at the altar! Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you servants of my God, because no one brings grain offerings or drink offerings to the temple of your God anymore.

Announce a holy fast; proclaim a sacred assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the temple of the Lord your God, and cry out to the Lord .

Our food has been cut off right before our eyes! There is no longer any joy or gladness in the temple of our God!

Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love—often relenting from calamitous punishment.

Who knows? Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, and leave blessing in his wake— a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the Lord your God!

Let the priests, those who serve the Lord , weep from the vestibule all the way back to the altar. Let them say, "Have pity, O Lord , on your people; please do not turn over your inheritance to be mocked, to become a proverb among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, "Where is their God?"

Citizens of Zion, rejoice! Be glad because of what the Lord your God has done! For he has given to you the early rains as vindication. He has sent to you the rains— both the early and the late rains as formerly.

You will have plenty to eat, and your hunger will be fully satisfied; you will praise the name of the Lord your God, who has acted wondrously in your behalf. My people will never again be put to shame.

You will be convinced that I am in the midst of Israel. I am the Lord your God; there is no other. My people will never again be put to shame.

You will be convinced that I the Lord am your God, dwelling on Zion, my holy mountain. Jerusalem will be holy— conquering armies will no longer pass through it.

They stretch out on clothing seized as collateral; they do so right beside every altar! They drink wine bought with the fines they have levied; they do so right in the temple of their God!

Listen and warn the family of Jacob! The sovereign Lord , the God who commands armies, is speaking!

"I overthrew some of you the way God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the flames. Still you did not come back to me." The Lord is speaking!

"Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel. Because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel!

For here he is! He formed the mountains and created the wind. He reveals his plans to men. He turns the dawn into darkness and marches on the heights of the earth. The Lord , the God who commands armies, is his name!"