'Return' in the Bible

if they return to You with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, and pray facing their land which You have given to their fathers and toward the city which You have chosen, and toward the house which I have built for Your Name;

‘Thus says the Lord: “You shall not go up nor fight against your brothers (countrymen); return, every man to his house, for this thing is from Me.”’” And they listened to and obeyed the words of the Lord and turned back from going against Jeroboam.

Then Micaiah said,“I saw all [the people of] IsraelScattered on the mountains,As sheep that have no shepherd;And the Lord said,‘These have no master.Let each one return to his house in peace.’”

and say, ‘Thus says the king: “Put this man in prison and feed him just enough bread and water to survive until I return in peace (safely).”’”

But Micaiah said, “If you actually return in peace, the Lord has not spoken by me.” And he added, “Listen [to what I have said], you people, all of you.”

So the runners went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his officials, in accordance with the command of the king, saying, “O sons (descendants) of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob), so that He will return to those of you who escaped and are left from the hand (power) of the kings of Assyria.

For if you return to the Lord, your brothers (relatives) and your children will find compassion in the presence of those who led them away captive and will return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and He will not turn His face away from you if you return to Him.”

But Hezekiah did nothing [for the Lord] in return for the benefit bestowed on him, because his heart had become proud; therefore God’s wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.

but if you return to Me and keep My commandments and do them, though those of you who have been scattered are in the most remote part of the heavens, I will gather them from there and will bring them to the place where I have chosen for My Name to dwell.’

The king, beside whom the queen was sitting, asked me, “How long will your journey take, and when will you return?” So it pleased the king to send me, and I gave him a definite time [for my return].

When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times (repeatedly), “From every place you turn, they will come up against us.”

Please, give back to them this very day their fields, their vineyards, their olive groves, and their houses, and also a hundredth part of the money, the grain, the new wine, and the oil that you are lending them.”

“They refused to listen and obey,And did not remember Your wondrous acts which You had performed among them;So they stiffened their necks and [in their rebellion] appointed a leader in order to return them to slavery in Egypt.But You are a God of forgiveness,Gracious and merciful and compassionate,Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;And You did not abandon them.

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews.

But when it came before the king, he commanded in writing that Haman’s wicked scheme which he had devised against the Jews was to return on his own head, and that he and his sons should [endure what he planned for the Jews and] be hanged on the gallows.

“Turn away [from your suspicion], let there be no injustice;Turn away, my righteousness and vindication is still in it.

“He will not return again to his house,Nor will his place know about him anymore.

Before I go—and I shall not return—To the land of darkness and the deep shadow [of death],

“He does not believe that he will return out of the darkness [for fear of being murdered],And he is destined for the sword [of God’s vengeance].

“For when a few years are past,I shall go the way of no return.

“If you return to the Almighty [and submit and humble yourself before Him], you will be built up [and restored];If you remove unrighteousness far from your tents,

“He opens their ears to instruction and discipline,And commands that they return from evil.

“Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open field;They leave and do not return to them.

My soul [as well as my body] is greatly dismayed.But as for You, O Lord—how long [until You act on my behalf]?

Return, O Lord, rescue my soul;Save me because of Your [unfailing] steadfast love and mercy.

Let the assembly of the nations be gathered around You,And return on high over them.

His mischief will return on his own head,And his violence will come down on the top of his head [like loose dirt].

Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,And sinners shall be converted and return to You.

They return at evening, they howl and snarl like dogs,And go [prowling] around the city.

They return at evening, they howl and snarl like dogs,And go [prowling] around the city.

Therefore his people return to this place,And waters of abundance [offered by the irreverent] are [blindly] drunk by them.

Let not the oppressed return dishonored;Let the afflicted and needy praise Your name.

For He [graciously] remembered that they were mere [human] flesh,A wind that goes and does not return.

And return into the lap of our neighbors sevenfoldThe taunts with which they have taunted You, O Lord.

You turn man back to dust,And say, “Return [to the earth], O children of [mortal] men!”

For judgment will again be righteous,And all the upright in heart will follow it.

You hide Your face, they are dismayed;You take away their breath, they dieAnd return to their dust.

In return for my love, they attack me,But I am in prayer.

Return to your rest, O my soul,For the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

None who go to her return again,Nor do they regain the paths of life—

The merciful and generous man benefits his soul [for his behavior returns to bless him],But the cruel and callous man does himself harm.

Whoever digs a pit [for another man’s feet] will fall into it,And he who rolls a stone [up a hill to do mischief], it will come back on him.

All the rivers flow into the sea,Yet the sea is not full.To the place where the rivers flow,There they flow again.

before the sun and the light, and the moon and the stars are darkened [by impaired vision], and the clouds [of depression] return after the rain [of tears];

then the dust [out of which God made man’s body] will return to the earth as it was, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

“Until the cool of the day when the shadows flee away,Return quickly, my beloved, and be like a gazelleOr a young stag on the mountains of Bether [which separate us].” Cross references: Song of Solomon 2:6 : Deut 33:27; Matt 28:20 Song of Solomon 2:8 : John 10:27 Song of Solomon 2:16 : Matt 10:32; Acts 4:12 end of crossrefs

(The Chorus)“Return, return, O Shulammite;Return, return, that we may gaze at you.”

Then the Lord said to Isaiah, “Go out to meet Ahaz [king of Judah], you and your son Shear-jashub, at the end of the aqueduct of the Upper Pool, on the highway to the Fuller’s Field;

A remnant will return, a remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.

For though your people, O Israel, may be as the sand of the sea,Only a remnant within them will return;The destruction is determined [it is decided and destined for completion], overflowing with justice (righteous punishment).

Who made the world like a wildernessAnd overthrew its cities,Who did not permit his prisoners to return home?’

The Lord will strike Egypt, striking but healing it; so they will return to the Lord, and He will respond to them and heal them.

The watchman says,“The morning comes [only briefly], but also [comes] the night [of Babylonian oppression].If you would ask [of me then], ask [again, if Edom really wishes to know];Come back again.”

It will come to pass at the end of seventy years that the Lord will remember Tyre. Then she will return to her prostitute’s wages and will play the [role of a] prostitute [by trading] with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.

Return to Him from whom you have so deeply defected, O sons of Israel.

And the ransomed of the Lord will returnAnd come to Zion with shouts of jubilation,And everlasting joy will be upon their heads;They will find joy and gladness,And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Listen carefully, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.”’”

By the way that he came, by the same way he will return, and he will not come into this city,’ declares the Lord.

“Because you are precious in My sight,You are honored and I love you,I will give other men in return for you and other peoples in exchange for your life.

“I have wiped out your transgressions like a thick cloudAnd your sins like a heavy mist.Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.”

“I have sworn [an oath] by Myself,The word is gone out of My mouth in righteousnessAnd shall not return,That to Me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear [allegiance].

So the redeemed of the Lord will returnAnd come with joyful shouting to Zion;Everlasting joy will be on their heads.They will obtain gladness and joy,And sorrow and sighing will flee away.

Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices,Together they shout for joy;For they will see face to faceThe return of the Lord to Zion.

Let the wicked leave (behind) his wayAnd the unrighteous man his thoughts;And let him return to the Lord,And He will have compassion (mercy) on him,And to our God,For He will abundantly pardon.

“For as the rain and snow come down from heaven,And do not return there without watering the earth,Making it bear and sprout,And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

So will My word be which goes out of My mouth;It will not return to Me void (useless, without result),Without accomplishing what I desire,And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

And it will be said,“Build up, build up, clear the way.Remove the stumbling block out of the way [of the spiritual return] of My people.”

O Lord, why do You cause us to stray from Your waysAnd harden our heart from fearing You [with reverence and awe]?Return for Your servants’ sake, the tribes of Your heritage.

That is to say, “If a man divorces his wifeAnd she goes [away] from himAnd becomes another man’s [wife],Will he return to her again? [Of course not!]Will not that land [where such a thing happened] be completely desecrated?But you [rebelled against Me and you] are a prostitute with many lovers;Yet you turn to Me.” says the Lord.

I thought, ‘After she has done all these things she will return to Me’; but she did not return, and her treacherous (faithless) sister Judah saw it.

Yet in spite of all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with her whole heart, but rather in [blatant] deception [she merely pretended obedience to King Josiah’s reforms],” declares the Lord.

Go and proclaim these words toward the north [where the ten tribes have been taken as captives] and say,‘Return, faithless Israel,’ says the Lord;‘I will not look on you in anger.For I am gracious and merciful,’ says the Lord;‘I will not be angry forever.

‘Return, O faithless children [of the twelve tribes],’ says the Lord,‘For I am a master and husband to you,And I will take you [not as a nation, but individually]—one from a city and two from a [tribal] family—And I will bring you to Zion.’

“Return, O faithless sons,” [says the Lord],“I will heal your unfaithfulness.”[They answer] “Behold, we come to You,For You are the Lord our God.

“If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord,“If you will return to Me,And if you will put away your detestable things and remove your man-made gods from My sight,And not stray or waver,

O Lord, do not Your eyes look for truth?You [have seen their faithless heart and] have stricken them,But they did not weaken;You have consumed them,But they refused to take correction or instruction.They have made their faces harder than rock;They have refused to repent and return to You.

“Moreover [Jeremiah], you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord,“Do men fall and not rise up again?Does one turn away [from God] and not repent and return [to Him]?

“Why then has this people of JerusalemTurned away with a perpetual turning away [from Me]?They hold tightly to deceit (idolatry);They refuse to repent and return [to God].

“Even the stork in the skyKnows her seasons [of migration],And the turtledove, the swallow and the craneObserve the time of their return.But My people do not knowThe law of the Lord.

And it shall come about that after I have uprooted them, I will return and have compassion on them; and I will bring them back again, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land.

“Their nobles have sent their servants for water;They have come to the cisterns and found no water.They have returned with empty vessels;They have been shamed and humiliated,And they cover their heads.

“I will winnow (sort, separate) them with a winnowing forkAt the gates of the land;I will deprive them of children, I will destroy My people;They did not repent and turn from their [evil] ways.

Therefore, thus says the Lord [to Jeremiah],“If you repent [and give up this mistaken attitude of despair and self-pity], then I will restore you [to a state of inner peace]So that you may stand before Me [as My obedient representative];And if you separate the precious from the worthless [examining yourself and cleansing your heart from unwarranted doubt concerning My faithfulness],You will become My spokesman.Let the people turn to you [and learn to value My values]—But you, you must not turn to them [with regard for their idolatry and wickedness].

Now then, say to the men of Judah and to the citizens of Jerusalem, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am shaping a disaster and working out a plan against you. Turn back, each of you from his evil way; correct your habits and change your actions for the better.”’

Do not weep for the dead or mourn for him;But weep bitterly for the one who goes away [into exile],For he will never returnAnd see his native country [again].

For thus says the Lord in regard to Shallum (Jehoahaz) the [third] son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father and who went from this place, “Shallum will not return here anymore;

But as for the land to which they long to return, they will not return to it.

I will give them a heart to know Me, [understanding fully] that I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

“For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years [of exile] have been completed for Babylon, I will visit (inspect) you and keep My good promise to you, to bring you back to this place.

For behold (hear this), the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘when I will restore the fortunes of My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord, ‘and I will return them to the land that I gave to their forefathers and they will take possession of it.’”

‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant,’ says the Lord,‘Nor be dismayed or downcast, O Israel;For behold, I will save you from a distant land [of exile]And your descendants from the land of their captivity.Jacob will return and will be quiet and at ease,And no one will make him afraid.

“Behold, I am bringing them from the north country,And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth,Among them [will be] the blind and the lame,The woman with child and she who labors in childbirth, together;A great company, they will return here [to Jerusalem].

Thus says the Lord,“Restrain your voice from weepingAnd your eyes from tears,For your work will be rewarded,” says the Lord;“And your children will return from the enemy’s land.

“Place for yourself road signs [toward Canaan],Make for yourself guideposts;Turn your thought and attention to the highway,To the way by which you went [into exile].Retrace your steps, O virgin of Israel,Return to these your cities.

“How long will you hesitate [to return],O you faithless and renegade daughter?For the Lord has created a new thing in the land [of Israel]:A woman will encompass (tenderly love) a man.”

the [sound of the] voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the [song-filled] voice of those who say,“Give praise and thanks to the Lord of hosts,For the Lord is good;For His [steadfast] lovingkindness (mercy) endures forever”;and of those who bring a thank offering into the house of the Lord. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the Lord.

But afterward they backed out [of the covenant] and made the male servants and the female servants whom they had set free return [to them], and brought the male servants and the female servants again into servitude.

Yet you backed out [of the covenant] and profaned My Name, and each man took back his servants, male and female, whom had been set free in accordance with their desire, and you brought them into servitude [again] to be your male servants and your female servants.”’

Behold, I am going to command [the Chaldeans who rule Babylon],’ says the Lord, ‘and I will bring them back to this city; and they will fight against it and take it and set it on fire. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.’”

I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them repeatedly, saying, ‘Let every one of you turn now from his evil way and alter your behavior, and do not follow other gods to worship and serve them; and then you will live in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers. But you have not submitted or listened to Me.