"Your wordshave beenarrogantagainstMe," saysthe LORD."Yet you say,'Whathave we spokenagainstYou?'
That you should turnyour spiritagainstGodAnd allow [such] wordsto goout of your mouth?
"Will you reallyannulMy judgment?Will you condemnMe that you may be justified?
He saysto himself,"Godhas forgotten;He has hiddenHis face;He will neverseeit."
But Pharaohsaid,"Whois the LORDthat I should obeyHis voiceto letIsraelgo?I do not knowthe LORD,and besides,I will not letIsraelgo."
For Jerusalemhas stumbledand Judahhas fallen,Becausetheir speechand their actionsare againstthe LORD,To rebelagainst His gloriouspresence.
"Whomhave you reproachedand blasphemed?And againstwhomhave you raised[your] voiceAnd haughtilyliftedup your eyes?Againstthe HolyOneof Israel!
"Listento Me, you stubborn-minded,Who are farfrom righteousness.
Who say,"Let Him makespeed,let Him hastenHis work,that we may see[it]; And let the purposeof the HolyOneof IsraeldrawnearAnd cometo pass,that we may know[it]!"
"But sincewe stoppedburningsacrificesto the queenof heavenand pouringout drinkofferingsto her, we have lackedeverythingand have metour endby the swordand by famine."
"Were they ashamedbecauseof the abominationthey had done?They certainlywere not ashamed,And they did not knowhow to blush;Thereforethey shall fallamong those who fall;At the timeof their punishmentthey shall be broughtdown,"Saysthe LORD.
"Yet you say,The wayof the Lordis not right.'Hearnow,O houseof Israel!Is My waynot right?Is it not your waysthat are not right?
"And you have spokenarrogantlyagainstMe and have multipliedyour wordsagainstMe; I have heard[it]."
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.
"Yet you say,'For whatreason?'Becausethe LORDhas been a witnessbetweenyou and the wifeof your youth,against whomyou have dealttreacherously,though she is your companionand your wifeby covenant.
You have weariedthe LORDwith your words.Yet you say,"Howhave we wearied[Him]?" In that you say,"Everyonewho doesevilis goodin the sightof the LORD,and He delightsin them," or,"Whereis the Godof justice?"
"Allthe nationswill callyou blessed,for you shall be a delightfulland,"saysthe LORDof hosts.
"You have said,It is vainto serveGod;and whatprofitis it that we have keptHis charge,and that we have walkedin mourningbeforethe LORDof hosts?
"Will a manrobGod?Yetyou are robbingMe! But you say,'Howhave we robbedYou?' In tithesand offerings.
On the contrary,whoare you, Oman,who answers backto God?The thing moldedwill not sayto the molder,"Whydid you makeme like this,"will it?
who opposesand exaltshimself aboveeveryso-calledgodorobject of worship,sothat he takes his seatin the templeof God,displayinghimselfas beingGod.
