As for My sacrificialgifts,They sacrificethe fleshand eat[it], [But] the LORDhas takennodelightin them. NowHe will remembertheir iniquity,And punish[them] for their sins;They will returnto Egypt.
"You shall havenoothergodsbeforeMe.
"But gonow,leadthe peoplewhereI toldyou. Behold,My angelshall gobeforeyou; nevertheless in the daywhen I punish,I will punishthem for their sin."
The sacrificeof the wickedis an abomination,Howmuchmorewhenhe bringsit with evilintent!
"Whatare your multipliedsacrificesto Me?" Saysthe LORD."I have hadenoughof burntofferingsof ramsAnd the fatof fedcattle;And I takenopleasurein the bloodof bulls,lambsor goats.
Thussaysthe LORDto thispeople,"Even sothey have lovedto wander;they have not kepttheir feetin check.Therefore the LORDdoes not acceptthem; nowHe will remembertheir iniquityand calltheir sinsto account."
"For whatpurposedoes frankincensecometo Me from ShebaAnd the sweetcanefrom a distantland?Your burntofferingsare not acceptableAnd your sacrificesare not pleasingto Me."
"And it will neveragainbe the confidenceof the houseof Israel,bringingto mindthe iniquityof their having turnedto Egypt. Then they will knowthat I am the LordGOD."'"
They will not returnto the landof Egypt;But Assyria--he will be their kingBecausethey refusedto return[to Me].
Is there iniquity[in] Gilead?Surelythey are worthless.In Gilgalthey sacrificebulls,Yes,their altarsare like the stoneheapsBesidethe furrowsof the field.
And it will be, like people,like priest;So I will punishthem for their waysAnd repaythem for their deeds.
They will gowith their flocksand herdsTo seekthe LORD,but they will not find[Him]; He has withdrawnfrom them.
For I delightin loyaltyratherthansacrifice,And in the knowledgeof Godratherthanburntofferings.
So Ephraimhas becomelike a sillydove,withoutsense;They callto Egypt,they goto Assyria.
They turn,[but] not upward,They are like a deceitfulbow;Their princeswill fallby the swordBecauseof the insolenceof their tongue.This[will be] their derisionin the landof Egypt.
And they do not considerin their heartsThat I rememberalltheir wickedness.Nowtheir deedsare allaroundthem; They are beforeMy face.
For behold,they will gobecauseof destruction;Egyptwill gatherthem up, Memphiswill burythem. Weedswill takeovertheir treasuresof silver;Thorns[will be] in their tents.
The daysof punishmenthave come,The daysof retributionhave come;Let Israelknow[this]! The prophetis a fool,The inspiredmanis demented,Becauseof the grossnessof your iniquity,And [because] your hostilityis [so] great.
They have gonedeepin depravityAs in the daysof Gibeah;He will remembertheir iniquity,He will punishtheir sins.
"You onlyhave I chosenamongallthe familiesof the earth;ThereforeI will punishyou for allyour iniquities."
"Eventhoughyou offerup to Me burntofferingsand your grain offerings,I will not accept[them]; And I will not [even] lookat the peaceofferingsof your fatlings.
The LORDhas swornby the prideof Jacob,"Indeed,I will neverforgetanyof their deeds.
"But there is nothingcoveredup that will not be revealed,and hiddenthat will not be known.
Thereforewhen you meettogether,it is not to eatthe Lord'sSupper,
For he who eatsand drinks,eatsand drinksjudgmentto himselfif he does not judgethe bodyrightly.
Thereforedo not go on passing judgmentbeforethe time,[but wait] untilthe Lordcomeswhowill bothbring to lightthe things hiddenin the darknessand disclosethe motivesof [men's] hearts;and theneach man'spraisewill cometo him from God.
"The LORDwill bringyou backto Egyptin ships,by the wayabout whichI spoketo you, 'You will neverseeit again!'And thereyou will offeryourselves for saleto your enemiesas maleand femaleslaves,but therewill be nobuyer."
The greatcitywas splitinto threeparts,and the citiesof the nationsfell.Babylonthe greatwas rememberedbeforeGod,to giveher the cupof the wineof His fiercewrath.
Samuelsaid,"Has the LORDas much delightin burntofferingsand sacrificesAs in obeyingthe voiceof the LORD?Behold,to obeyis betterthansacrifice,[And] to heedthanthe fatof rams.
