My people are determined to reject me for a god they think is stronger, but he can't help.
"But, my people, Israel, you refused to listen, and you would have nothing to do with me!
You harvest what you plant, whether good or bad.
Even when the wicked are treated with mercy in this land of justice, they do wrong and are blind to your glory, our LORD.
Our terrible sins may demand that we be punished. But if you rescue us, LORD, everyone will see how great you are.
Your own sins will punish you, because it was a bitter mistake for you to reject me without fear of punishment. I, the LORD All-Powerful, have spoken.
Even the people of Israel were honest enough not to pretend.
Ever since your ancestors left Egypt, I have been sending my servants the prophets to speak for me.
But you have ignored me and become even more stubborn and sinful than your ancestors ever were!
So why do you refuse to come back to me? Why do you hold so tightly to your false gods?
But as the saying goes, "The more they were called, the more they rebelled." They never stopped offering incense and sacrifices to the idols of Baal.
Israel, you have rejected me, but my anger is gone; I will heal you and love you without limit.
You are nothing more than a stubborn cow-- so stubborn that I, the LORD, cannot feed you like lambs in an open pasture.
and refuse to obey. They are more useless than a crooked arrow. Their leaders will die in war for saying foolish things. Egyptians will laugh at them.