"Has a nationchangedgodsWhen they were not gods?But My peoplehave changedtheir gloryFor that which does not profit.
becausethey have forsakenMe, and have worshipedAshtoreththe goddessof the Sidonians,Chemoshthe godof Moab,and Milcomthe godof the sonsof Ammon;and they have not walkedin My ways,doingwhatis rightin My sightand [observing] My statutesand My ordinances,as his fatherDavid[did].
But the angelof the LORDsaidto Elijahthe Tishbite,"Arise,goup to meetthe messengersof the kingof Samariaand sayto them, 'Is it becausethereis noGodin Israel[that] you are goingto inquireof Baal-zebub,the godof Ekron?'
"Have you not drivenout the priestsof the LORD,the sonsof Aaronand the Levites,and madefor yourselves priestslike the peoplesof [other] lands?Whoevercomesto consecratehimselfwith a youngbulland sevenrams,even he may becomea priestof [what are] nogods.
Thus they exchangedtheir gloryFor the imageof an oxthat eatsgrass.
Their idolsare silverand gold,The workof man'shands.
But You, O LORD,are a shieldaboutme, My glory,and the One who liftsmy head.
and have casttheir godsinto the fire,for they were not godsbut the workof men'shands,woodand stone.So they have destroyedthem.
Can manmakegodsfor himself? Yet they are not gods!
"Thereforethussaysthe LORD,Asknowamong the nations,Whoever heardthe like of this?The virginof IsraelHas donea mostappallingthing.
Thussaysthe LORD,"Whatinjusticedid your fathersfindin Me, That they wentfarfrom Me And walkedafteremptinessand becameempty?
"The priestsdid not say,'Whereis the LORD?'And those who handlethe lawdid not knowMe; The rulersalso transgressedagainst Me, And the prophetsprophesiedby BaalAnd walkedafterthings that did not profit.
"Whyshould I pardonyou? Your sonshave forsakenMe And swornby those who are not gods.When I had fedthem to the full,They committedadulteryAnd troopedto the harlot'shouse.
in orderto layholdof the heartsof the houseof Israelwhoare estrangedfrom Me through alltheir idols."'
"Therefore,thussaysthe LordGOD,'Becauseyou have moreturmoilthanthe nationswhichsurroundyou [and] have not walkedin My statutes,norobservedMy ordinances,norobservedthe ordinancesof the nationswhichsurroundyou,'
Thoughallthe peopleswalkEachin the nameof his god,As for us, we will walkIn the nameof the LORDour Godforeverand ever.
and exchangedthe gloryof the incorruptibleGodfor an imagein the formof corruptiblemanand of birdsand four-footed animalsand crawling creatures.
Thereforeconcerningthe eatingof things sacrificed to idols,we knowthat there is nosuch thingas an idolin the world,and that there is noGodbut one.
Howeverat that time,when you did not knowGod,you were slavesto thosewhich by natureare nogods.
"They madeHim jealouswith strange[gods]; With abominationsthey provokedHim to anger.
They have madeMe jealouswith [what] is not God;They have provokedMe to angerwith their idols.So I will make them jealouswith [those who] are not a people;I will provokethem to angerwith a foolishnation,
"Blessedare you, O Israel;Whois likeyou, a peoplesavedby the LORD,Who is the shieldof your helpAnd the swordof your majesty!So your enemieswill cringebefore you, And you will treadupon their highplaces."
knowingthat you were not redeemedwith perishable thingslike silverorgoldfrom your futileway of lifeinherited from your forefathers,
And she calledthe boyIchabod,saying,"The gloryhas departedfrom Israel,"becausethe arkof Godwas takenand becauseof her father-in-lawand her husband.
