A Call to Repentance
(Jeremiah 3:11–25; Zechariah 1:1–6)

1  שׁ֚וּבָה (So return) יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (O Israel), עַ֖ד (to) יְהוָ֣ה (YHWH) אֱלֹהֶ֑יךָ (your God);

כִּ֥י (for) כָשַׁ֖לְתָּ (you have stumbled) בַּעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃ (by your iniquity).

2  קְח֤וּ (Take) עִמָּכֶם֙ (with you⁺) דְּבָרִ֔ים (words),

וְשׁ֖וּבוּ (and return) אֶל־ (to) יְהוָ֑ה (YHWH).

אִמְר֣וּ (Say) אֵלָ֗יו (to Him) כָּל־ (All) תִּשָּׂ֤א (lift away) עָוֺן֙ (iniquity),

וְקַח־ (and receive) ט֔וֹב (what is good)

וּֽנְשַׁלְּמָ֥ה (and we offer)

פָרִ֖ים (the calves) שְׂפָתֵֽינוּ׃ (of our lips).

3  אַשּׁ֣וּר׀ (Assyria) לֹ֣א (not) יוֹשִׁיעֵ֗נוּ (can save us)

עַל־ (on) סוּס֙ (horses); לֹ֣א (not) נִרְכָּ֔ב (will we ride)

וְלֹא־ (and not) נֹ֥אמַר (will we say) ע֛וֹד (anymore) אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ (Our gods);

לְמַעֲשֵׂ֣ה (to the work) יָדֵ֑ינוּ (of our hands),

אֲשֶׁר־ (for) בְּךָ֖ (in you) יְרֻחַ֥ם (find compassion) יָתֽוֹם׃ (the fatherless).

A Promise of God’s Blessing

4  אֶרְפָּא֙ (I will heal) מְשׁ֣וּבָתָ֔ם (their backsliding),

אֹהֲבֵ֖ם (I will love them) נְדָבָ֑ה (willingly),

כִּ֛י (for) שָׁ֥ב (has turned back) אַפִּ֖י (My anger) מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ (from him).

5  אֶהְיֶ֤ה (I will be) כַטַּל֙ (like the dew) לְיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (to Israel);

יִפְרַ֖ח (he will blossom) כַּשּֽׁוֹשַׁנָּ֑ה (like the lily),

וְיַ֥ךְ (and he will strike forth) שָׁרָשָׁ֖יו (his roots) כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ (like Lebanon).

6  יֵֽלְכוּ֙ (Will go forth), יֹֽנְקוֹתָ֔יו (his branches)

וִיהִ֥י (and will be) כַזַּ֖יִת (like the olive tree), הוֹד֑וֹ (his beauty)

וְרֵ֥יחַֽ (and the fragrance) ל֖וֹ (unto him) כַּלְּבָנֽוֹן׃ (like Lebanon).

7  יָשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ (Will return); יֹשְׁבֵ֣י (those dwelling) בְצִלּ֔וֹ (in his shade)

יְחַיּ֥וּ (they will revive) דָגָ֖ן (like the grain), וְיִפְרְח֣וּ (and blossom) כַגָּ֑פֶן (like the vine).

זִכְר֖וֹ (His memorial) כְּיֵ֥ין (is as wine) לְבָנֽוֹן׃ס (of Lebanon).

8  אֶפְרַ֕יִם (O Ephraim) מַה־ (what) לִּ֥י (is unto me)

ע֖וֹד (anymore) לָֽעֲצַבִּ֑ים (with idols)?

אֲנִ֧י (I) עָנִ֣יתִי (have answered) וַאֲשׁוּרֶ֗נּוּ (and have watched over him)

אֲנִי֙ (I am) כִּבְר֣וֹשׁ (like a cypress). רַֽעֲנָ֔ן (Luxuriant)

מִמֶּ֖נִּי (in Me) פֶּרְיְךָ֥ (your fruit) נִמְצָֽא׃ (is found).

9  מִ֤י (Who is) חָכָם֙ (wise), וְיָ֣בֵֽן (and let him understand) אֵ֔לֶּה (these things)

נָב֖וֹן (Who is understanding), וְיֵֽדָעֵ֑ם (and let him know them)

כִּֽי־ (for) יְשָׁרִ֞ים (straight are), דַּרְכֵ֣י (the ways) יְהוָ֗ה (of YHWH)

וְצַדִּקִים֙ (and the righteous) יֵ֣לְכוּ (walk) בָ֔ם (in them)

וּפֹשְׁעִ֖ים (and transgressors) יִכָּ֥שְׁלוּ (stumble) בָֽם׃ (in them).