Tears of joy will stream down their faces, and I will lead them home with great care. They will walk beside quiet streams and on smooth paths where they will not stumble. For I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my oldest child.

他们要哭泣而来。我要照他们恳求的引导他们，使他们在河水旁走正直的路，在其上不致绊跌；因为我是以色列的父，以法莲是我的长子。”

他们要哭泣而来。我要照他们恳求的引导他们，使他们在河水旁行走正直的路，他们在其上必不致绊跌；因为我是以色列的父，以法莲是我的长子。

他们要哭泣而来。我要照他们恳求的引导他们，使他们在河水旁行走正直的路，他们在其上必不致绊跌；因为我是以色列的父，以法莲是我的长子。

我必引领他们回来，他们必一路含泪祷告。我要使他们走在溪水边，行在平坦的路上，他们必不会跌倒，因为我是以色列的父亲，以法莲是我的长子。

我引导他们的时候，他们必哭着而来，并且向我乞恩恳求。我要使他们走在溪水旁，行在平直的路上，他们必不会绊跌；因为我是以色列的父亲，以法莲是我的长子。

他們要哭泣而來。我要照他們懇求的引導他們，使他們在河水旁走正直的路，在其上不致絆跌；因為我是以色列的父，以法蓮是我的長子。

他們要哭泣而來。我要照他們懇求的引導他們，使他們在河水旁行走正直的路，他們在其上必不致絆跌；因為我是以色列的父，以法蓮是我的長子。

他們要哭泣而來。我要照他們懇求的引導他們，使他們在河水旁行走正直的路，他們在其上必不致絆跌；因為我是以色列的父，以法蓮是我的長子。

我必引領他們回來，他們必一路含淚禱告。我要使他們走在溪水邊，行在平坦的路上，他們必不會跌倒，因為我是以色列的父親，以法蓮是我的長子。

我引導他們的時候，他們必哭著而來，並且向我乞恩懇求。我要使他們走在溪水旁，行在平直的路上，他們必不會絆跌；因為我是以色列的父親，以法蓮是我的長子。

他們必哭哭啼啼而來，我必以安慰引導他們，使他們到流水之谿谷，在平坦的路上走，不至於在那上頭跌倒；因為我是以色列的父，以法蓮是我的長子。

彼將哭泣而來、為我所導、且禱且行、我使之經溪濱、循正直之途、而不顚躓、蓋我為以色列之父、以法蓮為我首生之子、○

彼為我所導、必哭泣禱告而來、我為以色列族之父、以法蓮人為余冢子、我使彼履道坦坦、行於溪畔、無虞顛趾。

彼為我所導、必哭泣禱告而來、我使之行於溪畔、履平直之途、其間不遇窒礙、其間不遇窒礙或作無人顛蹶其中我為以色列之父、以法蓮為我長子、

They will come with weeping; they will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water on a level path where they will not stumble, because I am Israel’s father, and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

Their eyes will be filled with tears as they come. They will pray as I bring them back. I will lead them beside streams of water. I will lead them on a level path where they will not trip or fall. I am Israel’s father. And Ephraim is my oldest son.

With weeping they shall come, and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back, I will make them walk by brooks of water, in a straight path in which they shall not stumble, for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

They will come weeping, but I will bring them back with consolation. I will lead them to wadis filled with water, by a smooth way where they will not stumble, for I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is my firstborn.

They will come with weeping, And by pleading I will bring them; I will lead them by streams of waters, On a straight path on which they will not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.”

They shall come with weeping, And with supplications I will lead them. I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters, In a straight way in which they shall not stumble; For I am a Father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn.

They shall come with weeping; and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way wherein they shall not stumble; for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first- born.

They will come weeping, but I will bring them back with consolation. I will lead them to wadis filled with water by a smooth way where they will not stumble, for I am Israel’s Father, and Ephraim is My firstborn.

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.

They will come back shedding tears of contrition. I will bring them back praying prayers of repentance. I will lead them besides streams of water, along smooth paths where they will never stumble. I will do this because I am Israel’s father; Ephraim is my firstborn son.’”

They will come with weeping. I will lead them with petitions. I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they won’t stumble; for I am a father to Israel. Ephraim is my firstborn.

Yet you say to me,‘ Father, you have been my guide since my youth.

Then you will tell him,‘ This is what the Lord says: Israel is my firstborn son.

“ In those coming days,” says the Lord,“ the people of Israel will return home together with the people of Judah. They will come weeping and seeking the Lord their God.

He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

Where is the one who led them through the bottom of the sea? They were like fine stallions racing through the desert, never stumbling.

“ Is not Israel still my son, my darling child?” says the Lord.“ I often have to punish him, but I still love him. That’s why I long for him and surely will have mercy on him.

Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

“ I thought to myself,‘ I would love to treat you as my own children!’ I wanted nothing more than to give you this beautiful land— the finest possession in the world. I looked forward to your calling me‘ Father,’ and I wanted you never to turn from me.

God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

“ Then I will pour out a spirit of grace and prayer on the family of David and on the people of Jerusalem. They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son. They will grieve bitterly for him as for a firstborn son who has died.

And yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are the potter. We all are formed by your hand.

The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.The parched ground will become a pool, and springs of water will satisfy the thirsty land. Marsh grass and reeds and rushes will flourish where desert jackals once lived.And a great road will go through that once deserted land. It will be named the Highway of Holiness. Evil minded people will never travel on it. It will be only for those who walk in God’s ways; fools will never walk there.

And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

Yes, he wrestled with the angel and won. He wept and pleaded for a blessing from him. There at Bethel he met God face to face, and God spoke to him—

I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a dry path through the sea.I called forth the mighty army of Egypt with all its chariots and horses. I drew them beneath the waves, and they drowned, their lives snuffed out like a smoldering candlewick.“ But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way.For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.

Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting,“ Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places.

For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to springs of life giving water. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”

The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,“ He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’”

Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.

“ When the poor and needy search for water and there is none, and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I, the Lord, will answer them. I, the God of Israel, will never abandon them.I will open up rivers for them on the high plateaus. I will give them fountains of water in the valleys. I will fill the desert with pools of water. Rivers fed by springs will flow across the parched ground.I will plant trees in the barren desert— cedar, acacia, myrtle, olive, cypress, fir, and pine.

I will be like a shepherd looking for his scattered flock. I will find my sheep and rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on that dark and cloudy day.I will bring them back home to their own land of Israel from among the peoples and nations. I will feed them on the mountains of Israel and by the rivers and in all the places where people live.Yes, I will give them good pastureland on the high hills of Israel. There they will lie down in pleasant places and feed in the lush pastures of the hills.

Then David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly:“ O Lord, the God of our ancestor Israel, may you be praised forever and ever!

God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh.

Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,“ He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘ Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!The valleys will be filled, and the mountains and hills made level. The curves will be straightened, and the rough places made smooth.And then all people will see the salvation sent from God.’”

You have come to the assembly of God’s firstborn children, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God himself, who is the judge over all things. You have come to the spirits of the righteous ones in heaven who have now been made perfect.

Is this the way you repay the Lord, you foolish and senseless people? Isn’t he your Father who created you? Has he not made you and established you?

Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy.They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

“ O our God, hear your servant’s prayer! Listen as I plead. For your own sake, Lord, smile again on your desolate sanctuary.“ O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city— the city that bears your name— lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue him from death. And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God.

God says,“ Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity.”

Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, Lord, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past.

I will say to the prisoners,‘ Come out in freedom,’ and to those in darkness,‘ Come into the light.’ They will be my sheep, grazing in green pastures and on hills that were previously bare.They will neither hunger nor thirst. The searing sun will not reach them anymore. For the Lord in his mercy will lead them; he will lead them beside cool waters.And I will make my mountains into level paths for them. The highways will be raised above the valleys.