But they did not listenor inclinetheir earsto turnfrom their wickedness,so as not to burnsacrificesto othergods.
but they [continually] mockedthe messengersof God,despisedHis wordsand scoffedat His prophets,untilthe wrathof the LORDaroseagainst His people,untiltherewas noremedy.
"However, You borewith them for manyyears,And admonishedthem by Your SpiritthroughYour prophets,Yet they would not giveear.Therefore You gavethem into the handof the peoplesof the lands.
"Ifonlyyou had paidattentionto My commandments!Then your well-beingwould have beenlike a river,And your righteousnesslike the wavesof the sea.
"BecauseI knowthat you are obstinate,And your neckis an ironsinewAnd your foreheadbronze,
"They have turnedbackto the iniquitiesof their ancestorswhorefusedto hearMy words,and they have goneafterothergodsto servethem; the houseof Israeland the houseof Judahhave brokenMy covenantwhichI madewith their fathers."
"For your godsare as manyas your cities,O Judah;and as manyas the streetsof Jerusalemare the altarsyou have setup to the shamefulthing,altarsto burnincenseto Baal.
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.
Yet they didnot obeyor inclinetheir ear,but walked,eachone,in the stubbornnessof his evilheart;therefore I broughton them allthe wordsof thiscovenant,whichI commanded[them] to do,but they didnot.'"
Thiswickedpeople,whorefuseto listento My words,who walkin the stubbornnessof their heartsand have goneafterothergodsto servethem and to bowdownto them, let them be just like thiswaistbandwhichis totallyworthless.
"The housesof Jerusalemand the housesof the kingsof Judahwill be defiledlike the placeTopheth,because of allthe houseson whoserooftopsthey burnedsacrificesto allthe heavenlyhostand pouredout drinkofferingsto othergods."'"
So Johananthe sonof Kareahand allthe commandersof the forces,and allthe people,did not obeythe voiceof the LORDto stayin the landof Judah.
"Yet they did not obeyor inclinetheir ear,but walkedin [their own] counsels[and] in the stubbornnessof their evilheart,and wentbackwardand not forward.
"Moreover, we have not listenedto Your servantsthe prophets,whospokein Your nameto our kings,our princes,our fathersand allthe peopleof the land.
The more they calledthem, The morethey wentfrom them; They kept sacrificingto the BaalsAnd burningincenseto idols.
