Yet the peopledo not turnbackto Him who struckthem, Nordo they seekthe LORDof hosts.
Though the prideof Israeltestifiesagainsthim, Yet they have not returnedto the LORDtheir God,Norhave they soughtHim, for allthis.
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.
Woeto those who godownto Egyptfor help[And] relyon horses,And trustin chariotsbecausethey are manyAnd in horsemenbecausethey are verystrong,But they do not lookto the HolyOneof Israel,norseekthe LORD!
Wherewill you be strickenagain,[As] you continuein [your] rebellion?The wholeheadis sickAnd the wholeheartis faint.
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.
I will goaway [and] returnto My placeUntilthey acknowledgetheir guiltand seekMy face;In their afflictionthey will earnestlyseekMe.
"In your filthinessis lewdness.BecauseI [would] have cleansedyou, Yet you are not clean,You will not be cleansedfrom your filthinessagainUntilI have spentMy wrathon you.
For I knowthe plansthat I havefor you,' declaresthe LORD,'plansfor welfareand not for calamityto giveyou a futureand a hope.
"Because of the iniquityof his unjustgainI was angryand struckhim; I hid[My face] and was angry,And he wenton turningaway,in the wayof his heart.
O LORD,Your handis liftedup [yet] they do not seeit. They see[Your] zealfor the peopleand are putto shame;Indeed,firewill devourYour enemies.
"But the godlessin heartlayup anger;They do not cryfor helpwhenHe bindsthem.
Now in the timeof his distressthissameKingAhazbecameyetmoreunfaithfulto the LORD.
"But from thereyou will seekthe LORDyour God,and you will find[Him] ifyou searchfor Him with allyour heartand allyour soul.
"I will winnowthem with a winnowingforkAt the gatesof the land;I will bereave[them] of children,I will destroyMy people;They did not repentof their ways.
"Sonof man,sayto her, 'You are a landthat is not cleansedor rainedon in the dayof indignation.'
"As it is writtenin the lawof Moses,allthiscalamityhas comeon us; yet we have not soughtthe favorof the LORDour Godby turningfrom our iniquityand givingattentionto Your truth.
"But I gaveyou alsocleannessof teethin allyour citiesAnd lackof breadin allyour places,Yet you have not returnedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
"I senta plagueamong you after the mannerof Egypt;I slewyour youngmenby the swordalongwith your capturedhorses,And I made the stenchof your campriseup in your nostrils;Yet you have not returnedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
And those who have turnedbackfrom followingthe LORD,And those whohave not soughtthe LORDor inquiredof Him."
In that daythe Lordwill shavewith a razor,hiredfrom regionsbeyondthe Euphrates([that is], with the kingof Assyria),the headand the hairof the legs;and it will alsoremovethe beard.
There will be noworkfor EgyptWhich[its] heador tail,[its] palmbranchor bulrush,may do.
