God’s Case Against Israel
1 Moreover the word of theLordcame to me, saying,
2 “Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says theLord:
“I remember you,
# The kindness of youryouth,
The love of your betrothal,
# When you went after Me in the wilderness,
In a land not sown.
3 Israelwasholiness to theLord,
# The firstfruits of His increase.
# All that devour him will offend;
# Disaster willcome upon them,” says theLord.’ ”
4 Hear the word of theLord, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel.
5 Thus says theLord:
# “What injustice have your fathers found in Me,
That they have gone far from Me,
# Have followed idols,
And have become idolaters?
6 Neither did they say, ‘WhereistheLord,
# Whobrought us up out of the land of Egypt,
# Who led us throughthe wilderness,
Through a land of deserts and pits,
Through a land of drought and the shadow of death,
Through a land that no one crossed
And where no one dwelt?’
7 I brought you intoa bountiful country,
To eat its fruit and its goodness.
# But when you entered, youdefiled My land
And made My heritage an abomination.
8 The priests did not say, ‘WhereistheLord?’
# And those who handle thelaw did not know Me;
The rulers also transgressed against Me;
# The prophets prophesied by Baal,
And walked afterthingsthatdo not profit.
9 “ThereforeI will yet bring charges against you,” says theLord,
“And against your children’s children I will bring charges.
10 For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see,
Send to Kedar and consider diligently,
# And see if there has been suchathing.
11 Has a nation changeditsgods,
# Whicharenot gods?
# But My people have changed their Glory
Forwhatdoes not profit.
12 Be astonished, O heavens, at this,
And be horribly afraid;
Be very desolate,” says theLord.
13 “For My people have committed two evils:
# They have forsaken Me, thefountain of living waters,
Andhewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.
14 “IsIsraela servant?
Ishe a homebornslave?
Why is he plundered?
15 The young lions roared at him,andgrowled;
They made his land waste;
His cities are burned, without inhabitant.
16 Also the people of Noph andTahpanhes
Have broken the crown of your head.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself,
In that you have forsaken theLordyour God
# WhenHe led you in the way?
18 And now why takethe road to Egypt,
# To drink the waters ofSihor?
# Or why take the road toAssyria,
To drink the waters of the River?
19 Your own wickedness willcorrect you,
And your backslidings will rebuke you.
Know therefore and see thatitisan evil and bitterthing
That you have forsaken theLordyour God,
And the fear of Meisnot in you,”
Says the LordGodof hosts.
20 “For of old I havebroken your yokeandburst your bonds;
# Andyou said, ‘I will not transgress,’
# Whenon every high hill and under every green tree
# You lay down,playing the harlot.
21 Yet I hadplanted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality.
How then have you turned before Me
# Intothe degenerate plant of an alien vine?
22 For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap,
# Yetyour iniquity ismarked before Me,” says the LordGod.
23 “Howcan you say, ‘I am not polluted,
I have not gone after the Baals’?
See your way in the valley;
Know what you have done:
Youarea swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways,
24 A wild donkey used to the wilderness,
Thatsniffs at the wind in her desire;
In her time of mating, who can turn her away?
All those who seek her will not weary themselves;
In her month they will find her.
25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst.
# But you said,‘There is no hope.
# No! For I have lovedaliens, and after them I will go.’
26 “As the thief is ashamed when he is found out,
So is the house of Israel ashamed;
# They and their kings and their princes, and their priests and theirprophets,
27 Saying to a tree, ‘Youaremy father,’
# And to astone, ‘You gave birth to me.’
For they have turnedtheirback to Me, and nottheirface.
# But in the time of theirtrouble
They will say, ‘Arise and save us.’
28 Butwhereareyour gods that you have made for yourselves?
Let them arise,
# If theycan save you in the time of your trouble;
# Foraccordingtothe number of your cities
Are your gods, O Judah.
29 “Why will you plead with Me?
You all have transgressed against Me,” says theLord.
30 “In vain I havechastened your children;
# Theyreceived no correction.
# Your sword hasdevoured your prophets
Like a destroying lion.
31 “O generation, see the word of theLord!
Have I been a wilderness to Israel,
Or a land of darkness?
Why do My people say, ‘We are lords;
# We will come no more to You’?
32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments,
Ora bride her attire?
# Yet My peoplehave forgotten Me days without number.
33 “Why do you beautify your way to seek love?
Therefore you have also taught
The wicked women your ways.
34 Also on your skirts is found
# The blood of the lives of the poor innocents.
I have not found it by secret search,
But plainly on all these things.
35 Yet you say, ‘Because I am innocent,
Surely His anger shall turn from me.’
# Behold,I will plead My case against you,
# Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 Why do you gad about so much to change your way?
# Alsoyou shall be ashamed of Egyptas you were ashamed of Assyria.
37 Indeed you will go forth from him
# With your hands onyour head;
For theLordhas rejected your trusted allies,
# And you willnot prosper by them.