"So twoor threecitieswould staggerto anothercityto drinkwater,But would not be satisfied;Yet you have not returnedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
Then Ahabsaidto Obadiah,"Gothrough the landto allthe springsof waterand to allthe valleys;perhapswe will findgrassand keepthe horsesand mulesalive,and not have to killsomeof the cattle."
The Arameanson the eastand the Philistineson the west;And they devourIsraelwith gapingjaws.In [spite of] allthis,His angerdoes not turnawayAnd His handis stillstretchedout.
"Also among the prophetsof JerusalemI have seena horriblething:The committingof adulteryand walkingin falsehood;And they strengthenthe handsof evildoers,So that noonehas turnedbackfrom his wickedness.Allof them have becometo Me like Sodom,And her inhabitantslike Gomorrah.
"Therefore the showershave been withheld,And there has beennospringrain.Yet you hada harlot'sforehead;You refusedto be ashamed.
"I thought,'Aftershe has doneallthesethingsshe will returnto Me'; but she did not return,and her treacheroussisterJudahsawit.
O LORD,do not Your eyes[look] for truth?You have smittenthem, [But] they did not weaken;You have consumedthem, But they refusedto takecorrection.They have madetheir facesharderthanrock;They have refusedto repent.
They will not returnto the landof Egypt;But Assyria--he will be their kingBecausethey refusedto return[to Me].
Though the prideof Israeltestifiesagainsthim, Yet they have not returnedto the LORDtheir God,Norhave they soughtHim, for allthis.
"But I gaveyou alsocleannessof teethin allyour citiesAnd lackof breadin allyour places,Yet you have not returnedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
"You will eat,but you will not be satisfied,And your vilenesswill be in your midst.You will [try to] remove[for safekeeping], But you will not preserve[anything], And whatyou do preserveI will giveto the sword.
"You have sownmuch,but harvestlittle;[you] eat,but [there is] not [enough] to be satisfied;[you] drink,but [there is] not [enough] to becomedrunk;[you] puton clothing,but nooneis warm[enough]; and he who earns,earnswages[to put] into a pursewith holes."
I smoteyou [and] everyworkof your handswith blastingwind,mildewand hail;yet you [did] not [come] [back] to Me,' declaresthe LORD.
