Yetthey did not listento their judges,for they playedthe harlotafterothergodsand bowedthemselves downto them. They turnedasidequicklyfrom the wayin whichtheir fathershad walkedin obeyingthe commandmentsof the LORD;they didnot doas [their fathers].
Thus they becameuncleanin their practices,And playedthe harlotin their deeds.
ManytimesHe would deliverthem; They, however, were rebelliousin their counsel,And [so] sankdownin their iniquity.
For, behold,those who are farfrom You will perish;You have destroyedallthose who are unfaithfulto You.
"They have quicklyturnedasidefrom the waywhichI commandedthem. They have madefor themselves a moltencalf,and have worshipedit and have sacrificedto it and said,Thisis your god,O Israel,whobroughtyou up from the landof Egypt!'"
Then the LORDsaidto me in the daysof Josiahthe king,"Have you seenwhatfaithlessIsraeldid?She wentup on everyhighhilland undereverygreentree,and she was a harlotthere.
Thussaysthe LORD,"Standby the waysand seeand askfor the ancientpaths,Wherethe goodwayis, and walkin it; And you will findrestfor your souls.But they said,'We will not walk[in it].'
"Contendwith your mother,contend,For she is not my wife,and I am not her husband;And let her putawayher harlotryfrom her faceAnd her adulteryfrom betweenher breasts,
"They shall nolongersacrificetheir sacrificesto the goatdemonswith whichthey playthe harlot.Thisshall be a permanentstatuteto them throughout their generations."'
Thussaysthe LORD,"For threetransgressionsof Judahand for fourI will not revokeits [punishment], Becausethey rejectedthe lawof the LORDAnd have not keptHis statutes;Their liesalso have ledthem astray,Those afterwhichtheir fatherswalked.
I am amazedthat you are soquicklydesertingHim who calledyou by the graceof Christ,for a differentgospel;
The LORDsaidto Moses,"Behold,you are about to liedownwith your fathers;and thispeoplewill ariseand playthe harlotwith the strangegodsof the land,into the midstof whichthey are going,and will forsakeMe and breakMy covenantwhichI have madewith them.
"But I will surelyhideMy facein that daybecauseof allthe evilwhichthey will do,for they will turnto othergods.
"Then the LORDsaidto me, 'Arise,godownfrom herequickly,for your peoplewhomyou broughtout of Egypthave actedcorruptly.They have quicklyturnedasidefrom the waywhichI commandedthem; they have madea moltenimagefor themselves.'
"And I sawthat you had indeedsinnedagainst the LORDyour God.You had madefor yourselves a moltencalf;you had turnedasidequicklyfrom the waywhichthe LORDhad commandedyou.
The peoplesaidto Joshua,"We will servethe LORDour Godand we will obeyHis voice."
Israelservedthe LORDallthe daysof Joshuaand allthe daysof the elderswhosurvivedJoshua,and had knownallthe deedsof the LORDwhichHe had donefor Israel.
The peopleservedthe LORDallthe daysof Joshua,and allthe daysof the elderswhosurvivedJoshua,whohad seenallthe greatworkof the LORDwhichHe had donefor Israel.
Then it cameabout, as soonas Gideonwas dead,that the sonsof Israelagainplayedthe harlotwith the Baals,and madeBaal-beriththeir god.
"When you sawthat Nahashthe kingof the sonsof Ammoncameagainstyou, you saidto me, 'No,but a kingshall reignoverus,' although the LORDyour God[was] your king.
"Is it not the wheatharvesttoday?I will callto the LORD,that He may sendthunderand rain.Then you will knowand seethat your wickednessis greatwhichyou have donein the sightof the LORDby askingfor yourselves a king."
Then allthe peoplesaidto Samuel,"Prayfor your servantsto the LORDyour God,so that we may not die,for we have addedto allour sins[this] evilby askingfor ourselves a king."
