For You have abandonedYour people,the houseof Jacob,Becausethey are filled[with influences] from the east,And [they are] soothsayerslike the Philistines,And they strike[bargains] with the childrenof foreigners.
And Ahaziahfellthroughthe latticein his upperchamberwhich[was] in Samaria,and becameill.So he sentmessengersand saidto them, "Go,inquireof Baal-zebub,the godof Ekron,whetherI will recoverfrom thissickness."
The LORDrejectedallthe descendantsof Israeland afflictedthem and gavethem into the handof plunderers,untilHe had castthem out of His sight.
So Sauldiedfor his trespasswhichhe committedagainst the LORD,becauseof the wordof the LORDwhichhe did not keep;and alsobecause he askedcounsel of a medium,makinginquiry[of it],
and he wentout to meetAsaand saidto him, "Listento me, Asa,and allJudahand Benjamin:the LORDis with you when you are with Him. And ifyou seekHim, He will let you findHim; but ifyou forsakeHim, He will forsakeyou.
Then the Spiritof Godcameon Zechariahthe sonof Jehoiadathe priest;and he stoodabovethe peopleand saidto them, "ThusGodhas said,Whydo you transgressthe commandmentsof the LORDand do not prosper?Becauseyou have forsakenthe LORD,He has also forsakenyou.'"
In thosedaysI alsosawthat the Jewshad marriedwomenfrom Ashdod,Ammon[and] Moab.
But they mingledwith the nationsAnd learnedtheir practices,
"You shall not allow a sorceressto live.
and you might takesomeof his daughtersfor your sons,and his daughtersmight playthe harlotwith their godsand cause your sons[also] to playthe harlotwith their gods.
My son,ifyou have becomesuretyfor your neighbor,Have givena pledgefor a stranger,
"Do not rejoice,O Philistia,allof you, Becausethe rodthat struckyou is broken;For from the serpent'sroota viperwill comeout, And its fruitwill be a flyingserpent.
Whenthey sayto you, "Consultthe mediumsand the spiritistswho whisperand mutter,"should not a peopleconsulttheir God?[Should they] [consult] the deadon behalfof the living?
Thussaysthe LORD,"Do not learnthe wayof the nations,And do not be terrifiedby the signsof the heavensAlthoughthe nationsare terrifiedby them;
"I have forsakenMy house,I have abandonedMy inheritance;I have giventhe belovedof My soulInto the handof her enemies.
Whydo You forgetus forever?Why do You forsakeus solong?
Do not turnto mediumsor spiritists;do not seekthem out to be defiledby them. I am the LORDyour God.
As for the personwhoturnsto mediumsand to spiritists,to playthe harlotafterthem, I will also setMy faceagainst that personand will cuthim offfrom amonghis people.
"I will also cutoffthe citiesof your landAnd teardownallyour fortifications.
"I will cutoffsorceriesfrom your hand,And you will havefortune-tellersnomore.
"Then it will comeabout on the dayof the LORD'SsacrificeThat I will punishthe princes,the king'ssonsAnd allwho clothethemselves with foreigngarments.
He tookup his discourseand said,"From AramBalakhas broughtme, Moab'skingfrom the mountainsof the East,ComecurseJacobfor me, And come,denounceIsrael!'
Quite right,they were broken offfor their unbelief,but you standby your faith.Do not be conceited,but fear;
And the Philistinescalledfor the priestsand the diviners,saying,"Whatshall we dowith the arkof the LORD?Tellus howwe shall sendit to its place."
