⁴ But when in their trouble they were turned to the Lord, the God of Israel, searching after him, he let their search be rewarded.

¹ I have been ready to give an answer to those who did not make prayer to me; I have been offering myself to those who were not searching for me; I said, Here am I, here am I, to a nation which gave no respect to my name.

² All day my hands have been stretched out to an uncontrolled people, who go in an evil way, after the purposes of their hearts;

⁶ Make search for the Lord while he is there, make prayer to him while he is near:

¹⁵ And all Judah was glad because of the oath, for they had taken it with all their heart, turning to the Lord with all their desire; and he was with them and gave them rest on every side.

²⁹ But if in those lands you are turned again to the Lord your God, searching for him with all your heart and soul, he will not keep himself from you.

³⁰ When you are in trouble and all these things have come on you, if, in the future, you are turned again to the Lord your God, and give ear to his voice:

²⁰ And Isaiah says without fear, Those who were not searching for me made discovery of me; and I was seen by those whose hearts were turned away from me.

¹ Samaria will be made waste, for she has gone against her God: they will be cut down by the sword, their little children will be broken on the rocks, their women who are with child will be cut open.

² O Israel, come back to the Lord your God; for your evil-doing has been the cause of your fall.

³ Take with you words, and come back to the Lord; say to him, Let there be forgiveness for all wrongdoing, so that we may take what is good, and give in payment the fruit of our lips.

¹ Come, let us go back to the Lord; for he has given us wounds and he will make us well; he has given blows and he will give help.

⁴⁴ But when their cry came to his ears, he had pity on their trouble:

¹⁰ Then the children of Israel, crying out to the Lord, said, Great is our sin against you, for we have given up our God and have been servants to the Baals.

¹¹ And the Lord said to the children of Israel, Were not the Egyptians and the Amorites and the children of Ammon and the Philistines

¹² And the Zidonians and Amalek and Midian crushing you down, and in answer to your cry did I not give you salvation from their hands?

¹³ But, for all this, you have given me up and have been servants to other gods: so I will be your saviour no longer.

¹⁴ Go, send up your cry for help to the gods of your selection; let them be your saviours in the time of your trouble.

¹⁵ And the children of Israel said to the Lord, We are sinners; do to us whatever seems good to you: only give us salvation this day.

¹⁶ So they put away the strange gods from among them, and became the Lord's servants; and his soul was angry because of the sorrows of Israel.

⁹ And when the children of Israel made prayer to the Lord, he gave them a saviour, Othniel, the son of Kenaz, Caleb's younger brother.

¹⁰ And the spirit of the Lord came on him and he became judge of Israel, and went out to war, and the Lord gave up Cushan-rishathaim, king of Mesopotamia, into his hands and he overcame him.