you also have donemoreevilthanallwhowere beforeyou, and have goneand madefor yourself othergodsand moltenimagesto provokeMe to anger,and have castMe behindyour back--
So the kingconsulted,and madetwogoldencalves,and he saidto them, "It is toomuchfor you to goup to Jerusalem;beholdyour gods,O Israel,that broughtyou up from the landof Egypt."
"He will giveup Israelon accountof the sinsof Jeroboam,whichhe committedand with whichhe made Israelto sin."
Judahdidevilin the sightof the LORD,and they provokedHim to jealousymorethanallthat their fathershad done,with the sinswhichthey committed.
It cameabout as soon as he was king,he struckdownallthe householdof Jeroboam.He did not leaveto Jeroboamanypersonsalive,untilhe had destroyedthem, according to the wordof the LORD,whichHe spokeby His servantAhijahthe Shilonite,
[and] becauseof the sinsof Jeroboamwhichhe sinned,and whichhe made Israelsin,because of his provocationwith whichhe provokedthe LORDGodof Israelto anger.
He didevilin the sightof the LORD,and walkedin the wayof Jeroboamand in his sinwhichhe made Israelsin.
Omrididevilin the sightof the LORD,and actedmorewickedlythanallwho[were] beforehim.
Ahabthe sonof Omrididevilin the sightof the LORDmorethanallwhowere beforehim.
It cameabout, as though it had been a trivialthingfor him to walkin the sinsof Jeroboamthe sonof Nebat,that he marriedJezebelthe daughterof Ethbaalkingof the Sidonians,and wentto serveBaaland worshipedhim.
Ahabalso madethe Asherah.Thus Ahabdidmoreto provokethe LORDGodof Israelthanallthe kingsof Israelwhowere beforehim.
For he rebuiltthe highplaceswhichHezekiahhis fatherhad destroyed;and he erectedaltarsfor Baaland madean Asherah,as Ahabkingof Israelhad done,and worshipedallthe hostof heavenand servedthem.
However,the LORDdid not turnfrom the fiercenessof His greatwrathwith whichHis angerburnedagainst Judah,becauseof allthe provocationswith whichManassehhad provokedHim.
Nevertheless,he clungto the sinsof Jeroboamthe sonof Nebat,whichhe made Israelsin;he did not departfrom them.
He setup priestsof his own for the highplaces,for the satyrsand for the calveswhichhe had made.
He made his sonspassthrough the firein the valleyof Ben-hinnom;and he practicedwitchcraft,useddivination,practicedsorceryand dealtwith mediumsand spiritists.He didmuchevilin the sightof the LORD,provokingHim [to anger].
"They capturedfortifiedcitiesand a fertileland.They tookpossessionof housesfullof everygoodthing,Hewncisterns,vineyards,olivegroves,Fruittreesin abundance.So they ate,were filledand grewfat,And reveledin Your greatgoodness.
"But they becamedisobedientand rebelledagainst You, And castYour lawbehindtheir backsAnd killedYour prophetswhohad admonishedthem So that they might returnto You, And they committedgreatblasphemies.
Thus they provoked[Him] to angerwith their deeds,And the plaguebrokeout among them.
"For you hatediscipline,And you castMy wordsbehindyou.
Howoftenthey rebelledagainst Him in the wildernessAnd grievedHim in the desert!
Yet they temptedand rebelledagainstthe MostHighGodAnd did not keepHis testimonies,
For they provokedHim with their highplacesAnd aroused His jealousywith their gravenimages.
"You shall makefor yourself nomoltengods.
who showslovingkindnessto thousands,but repaysthe iniquityof fathersinto the bosomof their childrenafterthem, O greatand mightyGod.The LORDof hostsis His name;
"The childrengatherwood,and the fatherskindlethe fire,and the womenkneaddoughto makecakesfor the queenof heaven;and [they] pourout drinkofferingsto othergodsin orderto spiteMe.
"Yet they did not listento Me or inclinetheir ear,but stiffenedtheir neck;they did moreevilthantheir fathers.
"Therefore,thussaysthe LordGOD,'Becauseyou have forgottenMe and castMe behindyour back,bearnowthe [punishment] of your lewdnessand your harlotries.'"
He saidto me, "Do you see[this], sonof man?Is it too lighta thingfor the houseof Judahto committhe abominationswhichthey have committedhere,that they have filledthe landwith violenceand provokedMe repeatedly?For behold,they are puttingthe twigto their nose.
He stretchedout the formof a handand caughtme by a lockof my head;and the Spiritliftedme up betweenearthand heavenand broughtme in the visionsof Godto Jerusalem,to the entranceof the northgateof the inner[court], wherethe seatof the idolof jealousy,whichprovokesto jealousy,was [located].
Do not turnto idolsor makefor yourselves moltengods;I am the LORDyour God.
Ordo we provokethe Lordto jealousy?We are not strongerthan He, are we?
They have madeMe jealouswith [what] is not God;They have provokedMe to angerwith their idols.So I will make them jealouswith [those who] are not a people;I will provokethem to angerwith a foolishnation,
"You have beenrebelliousagainstthe LORDfrom the dayI knewyou.
"Newgodswere chosen;Thenwar[was] in the gates.Not a shieldor a spearwas seenAmong fortythousandin Israel.
