Israel Accused of Apostasy
1 The word of the LORD came to me: 2 “Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says:
I remember the loyalty of your youth, c
your love as a bride—
how you followed me in the wilderness,
in a land not sown.
3 Israel was holy to the LORD, d
the firstfruits of his harvest. e
All who ate of it found themselves guilty; f
disaster came on them.”
This is the LORD’S declaration.
4 Hear the word of the LORD, house of Jacob
and all families of the house of Israel.
What fault did your fathers find in me g
that they went so far from me,
followed worthless idols, h
and became worthless themselves? i
6 They stopped asking, “Where is the LORD j
who brought us from the land of Egypt,
who led us through the wilderness, k
through a land of deserts and ravines,
through a land of drought and darkness, C
a land no one traveled through
and where no one lived? ”
7 I brought you to a fertile land l
to eat its fruit and bounty,
but after you entered, you defiled my land; m
you made my inheritance n detestable.
8 The priests quit asking, “Where is the LORD? ”
The experts in the law no longer knew me, o
and the rulers p rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by D Baal q
and followed useless idols. r
9 Therefore, I will bring a case against you again.
This is the LORD’S declaration.
I will bring a case against your children’s children. s
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus E,t and take a look.
Send someone to Kedar u and consider carefully;
see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation ever exchanged its gods? v
(But they were not gods! w )
Yet my people have exchanged their F Glory
for useless idols. x
12 Be appalled at this, heavens; y
be shocked and utterly desolated!
This is the LORD’S declaration.
13 For my people have committed a double evil:
They have abandoned me, z
the fountain of living water, a
and dug cisterns for themselves—
cracked cisterns that cannot hold water. b
Consequences of Apostasy
14 Is Israel a slave?
Was he born into slavery? G
Why else has he become a prey?
15 The young lions have roared at him; c
they have roared loudly.
They have laid waste his land. d
His cities are in ruins, without inhabitants.
16 The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes e
have also broken your skull.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself f
by abandoning the LORD your God
while he was leading you along the way?
by traveling along the way to Egypt g
to drink the water of the Nile? H
What will you gain
by traveling along the way to Assyria h
to drink the water of the Euphrates? i
19 Your own evil will discipline you; j
your own apostasies will reprimand you.
Recognize I how evil and bitter k it is
for you to abandon the LORD your God
and to have no fear of me.
This is the declaration
of the Lord GOD of Armies.
20 For long ago I J broke your yoke; l
I K tore off your chains.
You insisted, “I will not serve! ”
On every high hill
and under every green tree m
you lay down like a prostitute. n
21 I planted you, a choice vine o
from the very best seed.
How then could you turn into
a degenerate, foreign vine? p
and use a great amount of bleach, L,q
the stain of your iniquity is still in front of me. r
This is the Lord GOD’s declaration.
23 How can you protest, “I am not defiled;
I have not followed the Baals”? s
Look at your behavior in the valley;
acknowledge what you have done. t
You are a swift young camel
twisting and turning on her way,
24 a wild donkey u at home M in the wilderness.
She sniffs the wind in the heat of her desire.
Who can control her passion?
All who look for her will not become weary;
they will find her in her mating season. N
25 Keep your feet from going bare
and your throat from thirst.
But you say, “It’s hopeless; v
I love strangers, w
and I will continue to follow them.”
26 Like the shame of a thief when he is caught,
so the house of Israel has been put to shame. x
They, their kings, their officials,
their priests, and their prophets y
27 say to a tree, “You are my father,”
and to a stone, “You gave birth to me.”
For they have turned their back to me
and not their face, z
yet in their time of disaster a they beg,
“Rise up and save us! ”
28 But where are your gods you made for yourself?
Let them rise up and save you b
in your time of disaster if they can,
for your gods are as numerous as your cities, Judah.
Judgment Deserved
29 Why do you bring a case against me? c
All of you have rebelled against me.
This is the LORD’S declaration.
30 I have struck down your children in vain;
they would not accept discipline. d
Your own sword has devoured your prophets e
like a ravaging lion.
pay attention to the word of the LORD!
Have I been a wilderness to Israel
or a land of dense darkness? f
Why do my people claim,
“We will go where we want; O
we will no longer come to you”?
32 Can a young woman forget her jewelry g
or a bride her wedding sash?
Yet my people have forgotten me h
for countless days.
33 How skillfully you pursue love;
you also teach evil women your ways.
34 Moreover, your skirts are stained
with the blood of the innocent poor. i
You did not catch them breaking and entering. j
But in spite of all these things
35 you claim, “I am innocent. k
His anger is sure to turn away from me.”
But I will certainly judge you
because you have said, “I have not sinned.” l
36 How unstable you are, m
constantly changing your ways!
You will be put to shame by Egypt n
just as you were put to shame by Assyria.
37 Moreover, you will be led out from here
with your hands on your head o
since the LORD has rejected those you trust; p
you will not succeed even with their help. P