and that they may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, whose spirit was not faithful to God.
The earth reels to and fro like a drunkard, and it totters like a shack, and its transgression is heavy upon it, and it shall fall, never to rise again.
But they also have erred through wine and stagger from strong drink; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are confused by wine, they stagger from strong drink; they err while having visions, they stumble when rendering judgment.
As for My people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O My people, those who lead you cause you to err, and destroy the way of your paths.
Thus says the Lord: Where is the certificate of divorce by which I sent your mother away? Or to which of My creditors did I sell you? Behold, for your iniquities you were sold, and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
We lie down in our shame, and our humiliation covers us. For we have sinned against the Lord our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”
and say, Thus says the Lord God to Jerusalem: Your birth and your native land are from the land of Canaan. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from being My priest. And because you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet upon the Lord they lean, saying, “Is not the Lord in our midst? Evil will not come upon us.”
From the days of your fathers you have gone away from My ordinances and have not kept them. Return to Me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of Hosts. But you say, “How shall we return?”