I gave my people life, and I will not continue to accuse them or be angry with them forever.

Would God use all his strength against me? No, he would listen as I spoke.

LORD, don't be angry and rebuke me! Don't punish me in your anger!

O LORD, don't punish me in your anger!

He knows what we are made of; he remembers that we are dust.

Correct your people, LORD, but do not be too hard on us or punish us when you are angry; that would be the end of us.

I will come to you and save you. I will destroy all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not destroy you. I will not let you go unpunished; but when I punish you, I will be fair. I, the LORD, have spoken."

I will come to you and save you. I will destroy all the nations where I have scattered you, but I will not destroy you. I will not let you go unpunished; but when I punish you, I will be fair. I, the LORD, have spoken."

Every test that you have experienced is the kind that normally comes to people. But God keeps his promise, and he will not allow you to be tested beyond your power to remain firm; at the time you are put to the test, he will give you the strength to endure it, and so provide you with a way out.

Be glad about this, even though it may now be necessary for you to be sad for a while because of the many kinds of trials you suffer.

Why do you keep on rebelling? Do you want to be punished even more? Israel, your head is already covered with wounds, and your heart and mind are sick.

The LORD says, "Now, let's settle the matter. You are stained red with sin, but I will wash you as clean as snow. Although your stains are deep red, you will be as white as wool.

But if you defy me, you are doomed to die. I, the LORD, have spoken."

So now my friend says, "You people who live in Jerusalem and Judah, judge between my vineyard and me.

Is there anything I failed to do for it? Then why did it produce sour grapes and not the good grapes I expected?

Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD and said, "We have sinned against you, for we left you, our God, and worshiped the Baals."

the Sidonians, the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you in the past, and you cried out to me. Did I not save you from them?

Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them rescue you when you get in trouble."

So they got rid of their foreign gods and worshiped the LORD; and he became troubled over Israel's distress.

Israel, you brought this on yourself ! You deserted me, the LORD your God, while I was leading you along the way.

Your own evil will punish you, and your turning from me will condemn you. You will learn how bitter and wrong it is to abandon me, the LORD your God, and no longer to remain faithful to me. I, the Sovereign LORD Almighty, have spoken."

I planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. But look what you have become! You are like a rotten, worthless vine.

How can you say you have not defiled yourself, that you have never worshiped Baal? Look how you sinned in the valley; see what you have done. You are like a wild camel in heat, running around loose,

Israel, don't wear your feet out, or let your throat become dry from chasing after other gods. But you say, 'No! I can't turn back. I have loved foreign gods and will go after them.' "

You will all be disgraced---you that say that a tree is your father and that a rock is your mother. This will happen because you turned away from me instead of turning to me. But when you are in trouble, you ask me to come and save you.

What is your complaint? Why have you rebelled against me?

People of Israel, listen to what I am saying. Have I been like a desert to you, like a dark and dangerous land? Why, then, do you say that you will do as you please, that you will never come back to me?

You certainly know how to chase after lovers. Even the worst of women can learn from you.

you say, 'I am innocent; surely the LORD is no longer angry with me.' But I, the LORD, will punish you because you deny that you have sinned.

You will turn away from Egypt, hanging your head in shame. I, the LORD, have rejected those you trust; you will not gain anything from them."

The LORD has an accusation to bring against the people who live in this land. Listen, Israel, to what he says: "There is no faithfulness or love in the land, and the people do not acknowledge me as God.

The people say, "Let's return to the LORD! He has hurt us, but he will be sure to heal us; he has wounded us, but he will bandage our wounds, won't he?

In two or three days he will revive us, and we will live in his presence.

They insist on turning away from me. They will cry out because of the yoke that is on them, but no one will lift it from them.

I will not punish you in my anger; I will not destroy Israel again. For I am God and not a mere human being. I, the Holy One, am with you. I will not come to you in anger.

You mountains, you everlasting foundations of the earth, listen to the LORD's case! The LORD has a case against his people. He is going to bring an accusation against Israel.

I brought you out of Egypt; I rescued you from slavery; I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.

The LORD said, "Assyria! I use Assyria like a club to punish those with whom I am angry.

I sent Assyria to attack a godless nation, people who have made me angry. I sent them to loot and steal and trample the people like dirt in the streets."

But the Lord says, "When I finish what I am doing on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I will punish the emperor of Assyria for all his boasting and all his pride."

Human anger only results in more praise for you; those who survive the wars will keep your festivals.

But God was merciful to his people. He forgave their sin and did not destroy them. Many times he held back his anger and restrained his fury.

The time is coming when the people of Jerusalem will be told that a scorching wind is blowing in from the desert toward them. It will not be a gentle wind that only blows away the chaff---

(The LORD has said that the whole earth will become a wasteland, but that he will not completely destroy it.)

But angry hands pulled it up by the roots and threw it to the ground. The east wind dried up its fruit. Its branches were broken off; they dried up and were burned.

Even though Israel flourishes like weeds, I will send a hot east wind from the desert, and it will dry up their springs and wells. It will take away everything of value.