17 So don't lose hope.I, the Lord, have spoken.
18 The people of Israel moanand say to me,“We were like wild bulls,but you, Lord, broke us,and we learned to obey.You are our God—please let us come home.
19 When we were young,we strayed and sinned,but then we realizedwhat we had done.We are ashamed and disgracedand want to return to you.”
20 People of Israel,you are my own dear children.Don't I love you best of all?Though I often make threats,I want you to be near me,so I will have mercy on you.I, the Lord, have spoken.
21 With rock piles and signposts,mark the road well,my dear people.The road by which you leftby will now lead you home.
22 Will you ever decideto be faithful?I will make sure that somedaythings will be different,as different as a womanprotecting a man.
23 The Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, said:I promise to set the people of Judah free and to lead them back to their hometowns. And when I do, they will once again say,“We pray that the Lordwill bless his home,the sacred hill in Jerusalemwhere his temple stands.”