Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. {the unrighteous...: Heb. the man of iniquity} {abundantly...: Heb. multiply to pardon}

Who {is} a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth {in} mercy.

Like as a father pitieth {his} children, {so} the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where {is} thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained? {the sounding: or, the multitude}

And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. {strange...: Heb. gods of strangers} {grieved: Heb. shortened}

For the Lord will not cast off for ever:

For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

Therefore mine heart shall sound for Moab like pipes, and mine heart shall sound like pipes for the men of Kirheres: because the riches {that} he hath gotten are perished.

How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? {how} shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? {how} shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.

But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me. {from me: Heb. from after me} {a goodly...: Heb. an heritage of glory, or, beauty} {pleasant...: Heb. land of desire}

For I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls {which} I have made.

They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim {is} my firstborn. {supplications: or, favours}

My beloved put in his hand by the hole {of the door}, and my bowels were moved for him. {for him: or, (as some read) in me}

And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought {where} to weep; and he entered into {his} chamber, and wept there.

Then spake the woman whose the living child {was} unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, {but} divide {it}. {yearned: Heb. were hot}

For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son {in whom} he delighteth.

For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that {their} power is gone, and {there is} none shut up, or left. {power: Heb. hand}

It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. {that...: Heb. from having compassion}

Like as a father pitieth {his} children, {so} the LORD pitieth them that fear him.

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? {how} shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? {how} shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

Then spake the woman whose the living child {was} unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, {but} divide {it}. {yearned: Heb. were hot}

But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

Look down from heaven, and behold from the habitation of thy holiness and of thy glory: where {is} thy zeal and thy strength, the sounding of thy bowels and of thy mercies toward me? are they restrained? {the sounding: or, the multitude}

Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of {her} friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine. {of wine: Heb. of grapes}

I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah.

Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; {and} I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I {am} merciful, saith the LORD, {and} I will not keep {anger} for ever.

And they shall be mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. {jewels: or, special treasure}

They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim {is} my firstborn. {supplications: or, favours}

Then will I cast away the seed of Jacob, and David my servant, {so} that I will not take {any} of his seed {to be} rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. {strange...: Heb. gods of strangers} {grieved: Heb. shortened}

And Joseph made haste; for his bowels did yearn upon his brother: and he sought {where} to weep; and he entered into {his} chamber, and wept there.

I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

Whom I have sent again: thou therefore receive him, that is, mine own bowels:

Wherefore my bowels shall sound like an harp for Moab, and mine inward parts for Kirharesh.

He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.

He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of {his} mercy;

For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

My bowels boiled, and rested not: the days of affliction prevented me.

But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me. {from me: Heb. from after me} {a goodly...: Heb. an heritage of glory, or, beauty} {pleasant...: Heb. land of desire}

For the LORD shall judge his people, and repent himself for his servants, when he seeth that {their} power is gone, and {there is} none shut up, or left. {power: Heb. hand}

A grievous vision is declared unto me; the treacherous dealer dealeth treacherously, and the spoiler spoileth. Go up, O Elam: besiege, O Media; all the sighing thereof have I made to cease. {grievous: Heb. hard}

Remember, O LORD, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they {have been} ever of old. {tender...: Heb. bowels}

Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. {a ransom: or, an atonement}

Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, {even} God.

Who are Israelites; to whom {pertaineth} the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service {of God}, and the promises; {covenants: or, testaments}

And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I {am} the LORD their God, and will hear them.

Behold, O LORD; for I {am} in distress: my bowels are troubled; mine heart is turned within me; for I have grievously rebelled: abroad the sword bereaveth, at home {there is} as death.

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?

Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: {and} not that he should return from his ways, and live?