1
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
2Go 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 wentestafter me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
3Israel 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.
4Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
5
Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathersfound in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walkedaftervanity, and are become vain?
6
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 mandwelt?
7
And I brought you into a plentifulcountry, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.
8
The priestssaid not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the lawknew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophetsprophesied by Baal, and walkedafter things that do not profit.
9
Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.
10
For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and considerdiligently, and see if there be such a thing.
11
Hath a nationchanged their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
12
Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye verydesolate, saith the LORD.
13
For my people have committedtwoevils; they have forsaken me the fountain of livingwaters, and hewed them outcisterns, brokencisterns, that can hold no water.
14
Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?
15
The young lionsroared upon him, and yelled, and they made his landwaste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.
16
Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.
17
Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
18
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?
19
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 LordGOD of hosts.
20
For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every highhill and under every greentree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
21
Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a rightseed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strangevine unto me?
22
For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee muchsoap, yet thine iniquity is markedbefore me, saith the LordGOD.
23
How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not goneafterBaalim?see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swiftdromedarytraversing her ways;
24
A wild assused 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.
25Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have lovedstrangers, and after them will I go.
26
As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israelashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,
27Saying 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.
28
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.
29
Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD.
30
In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroyinglion.
31
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?
32
Can a maidforget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
33
Why trimmest thou thy way to seeklove? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.
34
Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the poorinnocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
35
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.
36
Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
37
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.