"Now whenyou tellthispeopleallthesewords,they will sayto you, 'For whatreasonhas the LORDdeclaredallthisgreatcalamityagainstus? And whatis our iniquity,or whatis our sinwhichwe have committedagainst the LORDour God?'
The LORDof hosts,who plantedyou, has pronouncedevilagainstyou becauseof the evilof the houseof Israeland of the houseof Judah,whichthey have doneto provokeMe by offeringup sacrificesto Baal.
"Ifyou sayin your heart,Whyhave thesethingshappenedto me?' Because of the magnitudeof your iniquityYour skirtshave been removedAnd your heelshave been exposed.
"Howcan you say,'I am not defiled,I have not goneafterthe Baals?Lookat your wayin the valley!Knowwhatyou have done!You are a swiftyoungcamelentanglingher ways,
Yet you said,'I am innocent;SurelyHis angeris turnedawayfrom me.' Behold,I will enterinto judgmentwith you Becauseyou say,'I have not sinned.'
becauseof their wickednesswhichthey committedso as to provokeMe to angerby continuingto burnsacrifices[and] to serveothergodswhomthey had not known,[neither] they, you, noryour fathers.
"It shall comeabout whenthey say,'Whyhas the LORDour Goddoneallthesethingsto us?' then you shall sayto them, 'As you have forsakenMe and servedforeigngodsin your land,soyou will servestrangersin a landthat is not yours.'
"I will makeJerusalema heapof ruins, A hauntof jackals;And I will makethe citiesof Judaha desolation,withoutinhabitant."
And Ephraimsaid,"SurelyI have becomerich,I have foundwealthfor myself; In allmy laborsthey will findin me Noiniquity,which[would be] sin."