Israel Has Forsaken God

1And the word of Jehovah will be to me, saying,

2Go and call in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus said Jehovah, I remembered for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thy completion, thy going after me in the desert in a land not, sown.

3Israel is holy to Jehovah, the beginning of the produce: all consuming him shall transgress; evil shall come upon them, says Jehovah.

4Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and the families of the house of Israel:

5Thus said Jehovah, What iniquity found your fathers in me that they removed far off from me, and went after vanity, and they became vain?

6And they said not, Where is Jehovah bringing us up out of the land of Egypt, causing us to go through the desert into a sterile land and a pit, through a land of drought and the shadow of death, through a land not a man passed through it, and not a man dwelt there?

7And I will bring you to the land of Carmel, to eat its fruit and its goodness; and ye will come and defile my land, and ye set mine inheritance for an abomination.

8The priests said not Where is Jehovah? and they holding the law knew me not: and the shepherds transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and they went After what will not profit.

9For this I will even contend, with you, says Jehovah, and with your sons' sons will I contend.

10For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send to Kedar, and consider greatly, and see whether there was like this.

11Did a nation change their gods, and they no gods? and my people changed their glory for what will not profit.

12Be astonished, ye heavens, at this, and shudder; be ye greatly desolate, says Jehovah.

13For my people did two evils: they forsook me the fountain of living waters, to hew out for them wells, broken wells which will not hold water.

The Consequence of Israel’s Sin

14Is Israel a servant? if he was born in the house wherefore was he for plunder?

15Upon him the young lions roared, they gave their voice, they will set his land for a desolation: his cities were burned from not being inhabited.

16Also the sons of Noph and Tahapanes, they will feed thee upon the crown of the head.

17Wilt thou not do this to thyself? thou didst forsake Jehovah thy God in the time of thy being led in the way.

18And now what to thee for the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Sihor? and what to thee to the way of Amur, to drink the water of the river?

19Thy wickedness shall correct thee, and thy turnings back shall convict thee: and know thou and see that evil and bitter thy forsaking Jehovah thy God, and that my fear was not to thee, says the Lord Jehovah of armies.

20For from of old I broke thy yoke, I burst thy bonds; and thou wilt say, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou turnest one side, committing fornication:

21And I planted thee a vine of purple grapes, wholly a true seed: and how didst thou turn to me the removings of a strange vine?

22For if thou shalt wash thyself with nitre, and thou shalt increase to thee cleansing, thine iniquity was graven before me, says the Lord Jehovah.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness
(Judges 2:10–15; Isaiah 43:22–28)

23How wilt thou say, I was not defiled? I went not after the Baalims? See thy way in the valley, know what thou didst; a young she camel entangling her ways;

24A wild ass accustomed to the desert in gratifying her soul, panting after the wind in her heat; who shall turn her back? all seeking her will not be wearied; in her new moon they shall find her.

25Withhold thy foot from being barefoot, and thy throat from thirst: and thou wilt say, Despairing, no; for I loved strangers, and after them will I go.

26As the shame of the thief when he shall be found, so was the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their chiefs, and their priests, and their prophets,

27Saying to the wood, Thou my father; and to the stone, Thou didst bring me forth: for they turned to me the back of the neck and not their face: and in the time of their evil they will say, Arise, and save us.

28And where thy gods which thou didst make to thee? they will arise, if they shall save thee in the time of thine evil: for from the numbering of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah.

29Wherefore will ye contend against me? all ye transgressed against me, says Jehovah.

30In vain did I strike your sons; they received no instruction: your sword consumed the prophets as a lion destroying.

31O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah. Was I the desert to Israel? If a land of thick darkness? wherefore said my people, We had dominion, we will come no more to thee?

32Will a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her girdles? and my people forgat me days of no numbering.

33How wilt thou make good thy way to seek love? for this also thou didst teach the evil ones thy ways.

34Also in thy wings were found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor: not by breaking in did I find them, but upon all these.

35And thou wilt say, Because I was innocent his anger turned back from me. Behold me judging thee for thy saying, I sinned not.

36Why wilt thou despise greatly to do the second time thy way? also thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt as thou wert ashamed of Assur.

37Also from this thou wilt go forth and thy hands upon thy head: for Jehovah rejected thy trusts and thou shalt not give success to them.