Moreover the word of the LORD
came to me, saying
,
Go and cry
in the ears
of Jerusalem
, saying
, Thus saith
the LORD
; I remember
thee, the kindness
of thy youth
, the love
of thine espousals
, when thou wentest
after
me in the wilderness
, in a land
that was not sown
.
Israel was holiness
unto the LORD
, and the firstfruits
of his increase
: all that devour
him shall offend
; evil
shall come
upon them, saith
the LORD
.
Hear ye the word
of the LORD
, O house
of Jacob
, and all the families
of the house
of Israel
:
Thus saith the LORD
, What iniquity
have your fathers
found
in me, that they are gone far
from me, and have walked
after
vanity
, and are become vain
?
Neither said they, Where is the LORD
that brought us up
out of the land
of Egypt
, that led
us through the wilderness
, through a land
of deserts
and of pits
, through a land
of drought
, and of the shadow of death
, through a land
that no man
passed through
, and where no man
dwelt
?
And I brought you into a plentiful
country
, to eat
the fruit
thereof and the goodness
thereof; but when ye entered
, ye defiled
my land
, and made
mine heritage
an abomination
.
The priests said
not, Where is the LORD
? and they that handle
the law
knew
me not: the pastors
also transgressed
against me, and the prophets
prophesied
by Baal
, and walked
after
things that do not profit
.
Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith
the LORD
, and with your children's
children
will I plead
.
For pass over the isles
of Chittim
, and see
; and send
unto Kedar
, and consider
diligently
, and see
if there be such a thing.
Hath a nation changed
their gods
, which are yet no gods
? but my people
have changed
their glory
for that which doth not profit
.
Be astonished, O ye heavens
, at this, and be horribly afraid
, be ye very
desolate
, saith
the LORD
.
For my people have committed
two
evils
; they have forsaken
me the fountain
of living
waters
, and hewed them out
cisterns
, broken
cisterns
, that can hold
no water
.
Is Israel a servant
? is he a homeborn
slave ? why
is he spoiled
?
The young lions roared
upon him, and yelled
, and they made
his land
waste
: his cities
are burned
without inhabitant
.
Also the children of Noph
and Tahapanes
have broken
the crown of thy head
.
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken
the LORD
thy God
, when
he led
thee by the way
?
And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt
, to drink
the waters
of Sihor
? or what hast thou to do in the way
of Assyria
, to drink
the waters
of the river
?
Thine own wickedness shall correct
thee, and thy backslidings
shall reprove
thee: know
therefore and see
that it is an evil
thing and bitter
, that thou hast forsaken
the LORD
thy God
, and that my fear
is not in thee, saith
the Lord
GOD
of hosts
.
For of old time I have broken
thy yoke
, and burst
thy bands
; and thou saidst
, I will not transgress
; when upon every high
hill
and under every green
tree
thou wanderest
, playing the harlot
.
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine
, wholly a right
seed
: how then art thou turned
into the degenerate plant
of a strange
vine
unto me?
For though thou wash thee with nitre
, and take thee much
soap
, yet thine iniquity
is marked
before
me, saith
the Lord
GOD
.
How canst thou say, I am not polluted
, I have not gone
after
Baalim
? see
thy way
in the valley
, know
what thou hast done
: thou art a swift
dromedary
traversing
her ways
;
A wild ass used
to the wilderness
, that snuffeth up
the wind
at her pleasure
; in her occasion
who can turn her away
? all they that seek
her will not weary
themselves; in her month
they shall find
her.
Withhold thy foot
from being unshod
, and thy throat
from thirst
: but thou saidst
, There is no hope
: no; for I have loved
strangers
, and after
them will I go
.
As the thief is ashamed
when he is found
, so is the house
of Israel
ashamed
; they, their kings
, their princes
, and their priests
, and their prophets
,
Saying to a stock
, Thou art my father
; and to a stone
, Thou hast brought me forth
: for they have turned
their back
unto me, and not their face
: but in the time
of their trouble
they will say
, Arise
, and save
us.
But where are thy gods that thou hast made
thee? let them arise
, if they can save
thee in the time
of thy trouble
: for according to the number
of thy cities
are thy gods
, O Judah
.
Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed
against me, saith
the LORD
.
In vain have I smitten
your children
; they received
no correction
: your own sword
hath devoured
your prophets
, like a destroying
lion
.
O generation, see
ye the word
of the LORD
. Have I been a wilderness
unto Israel
? a land
of darkness
? wherefore say
my people
, We are lords
; we will come
no more unto thee?
Can a maid forget
her ornaments
, or a bride
her attire
? yet my people
have forgotten
me days
without number
.
Why trimmest thou thy way
to seek
love
? therefore hast thou also taught
the wicked ones
thy ways
.
Also in thy skirts is found
the blood
of the souls
of the poor
innocents
: I have not found
it by secret search
, but upon all these.
Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent
, surely his anger
shall turn
from me. Behold, I will plead
with thee, because thou sayest
, I have not sinned
.
Why gaddest thou about so much
to change
thy way
? thou also shalt be ashamed
of Egypt
, as thou wast ashamed
of Assyria
.
Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands
upon thine head
: for the LORD
hath rejected
thy confidences
, and thou shalt not prosper
in them.