And nowthey sinmoreand more,And makefor themselves moltenimages,Idolsskillfullymade from their silver,Allof them the workof craftsmen.They sayof them, "Let the menwho sacrificekissthe calves!"
"Yet I will leave7000in Israel,allthe kneesthat have not bowedto Baaland everymouththat has not kissedhim."
and saidto them, "You must not bringthe captivesin here,for you are proposing[to bring] upon us guiltagainst the LORDaddingto our sinsand our guilt;for our guiltis greatso that [His] burningangeris againstIsrael."
Moreover, he did not humblehimself beforethe LORDas his fatherManassehhad done,but Amonmultipliedguilt.
Dohomageto the Son,that He not becomeangry,and you perish[in] the way,For His wrathmay soonbe kindled.How blessedare allwho takerefugein Him!
Wherewill you be strickenagain,[As] you continuein [your] rebellion?The wholeheadis sickAnd the wholeheartis faint.
"Woeto the rebelliouschildren,"declaresthe LORD,"Who executea plan,but not Mine,And makean alliance,but not of My Spirit,In orderto addsinto sin;
Behold,allhis companionswill be putto shame,for the craftsmenthemselvesare meremen.Let them allassemblethemselves, let them standup, let them tremble,let them togetherbe putto shame.
"Gatheryourselves and come;Drawneartogether,you fugitivesof the nations;They havenoknowledge,Who carryabout their woodenidolAnd prayto a godwho cannotsave.
"Those who lavishgoldfrom the purseAnd weighsilveron the scaleHirea goldsmith,and he makesit [into] a god;They bowdown,indeedthey worshipit.
"Rememberthis,and be assured;Recallit to mind,you transgressors.
"They decorate[it] with silverand with gold;They fastenit with nailsand with hammersSo that it will not totter.
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
"Whythen has thispeople,Jerusalem,Turnedawayin continualapostasy?They holdfastto deceit,They refuseto return.
Israelis a luxuriantvine;He producesfruitfor himself. The morehis fruit,The morealtarshe made;The richerhis land,The betterhe madethe [sacred] pillars.
The inhabitantsof Samariawill fearFor the calfof Beth-aven.Indeed,its peoplewill mournfor it, And its idolatrouspriestswill cryout overit, Overits glory,sinceit has departedfrom it.
The more they calledthem, The morethey wentfrom them; They kept sacrificingto the BaalsAnd burningincenseto idols.
The swordwill whirlagainst their cities,And will demolishtheir gate barsAnd consume[them] becauseof their counsels.
"Assyriawill not saveus, We will not rideon horses;Norwill we sayagain,Our god,'To the workof our hands;For in You the orphanfindsmercy."
"For she does not knowthat it was I who gaveher the grain,the newwineand the oil,And lavishedon her silverand gold,[Which] they usedfor Baal.
Ephraimis joinedto idols;Lethim alone.
They have setup kings,but not by Me; They have appointedprinces,but I did not know[it]. With their silverand goldthey have madeidolsfor themselves, That they might be cutoff.
He has rejectedyour calf,O Samaria,[saying], "My angerburnsagainst them!" Howlongwill they be incapableof innocence?
For from Israelis even this!A craftsmanmadeit, so it is not God;Surelythe calfof Samariawill be brokento pieces.
"Now behold,you have risenup in your fathers'place,a broodof sinfulmen,to addstillmoreto the burningangerof the LORDagainstIsrael.
But whatis the divine responseto him? "I HAVE KEPTfor MyselfSEVEN THOUSANDMENWHOHAVE NOT BOWEDTHE KNEETO BAAL."
But becauseof your stubbornnessand unrepentantheartyou are storingup wrathfor yourselfin the dayof wrathand revelationof the righteous judgmentof God,
But evilmenand impostorswill proceed[from bad] to worse,deceivingand being deceived.
Then Samueltookthe flaskof oil,pouredit on his head,kissedhim and said,"Has not the LORDanointedyou a ruleroverHis inheritance?
