"But they becamedisobedientand rebelledagainst You, And castYour lawbehindtheir backsAnd killedYour prophetswhohad admonishedthem So that they might returnto You, And they committedgreatblasphemies.
you also have donemoreevilthanallwhowere beforeyou, and have goneand madefor yourself othergodsand moltenimagesto provokeMe to anger,and have castMe behindyour back--
"Has it not been toldto my masterwhatI didwhen Jezebelkilledthe prophetsof the LORD,that I hida hundredprophetsof the LORDby fiftiesin a cave,and providedthem with breadand water?
for when Jezebeldestroyedthe prophetsof the LORD,Obadiahtooka hundredprophetsand hidthem by fiftiesin a cave,and providedthem with breadand water.)
He said,"I have beenveryzealousfor the LORD,the Godof hosts;for the sonsof Israelhave forsakenYour covenant,torndownYour altarsand killedYour prophetswith the sword.And I aloneam left;and they seekmy life,to takeit away."
Now the LORDspokethroughHis servantsthe prophets,saying,
"BecauseManassehkingof Judahhas donetheseabominations,having donewickedlymorethanallthe Amoritesdidwho[were] beforehim, and has alsomade Judahsinwith his idols;
but they [continually] mockedthe messengersof God,despisedHis wordsand scoffedat His prophets,untilthe wrathof the LORDaroseagainst His people,untiltherewas noremedy.
"Evenwhenthey madefor themselves A calfof moltenmetalAnd said,'Thisis your GodWhobroughtyou up from Egypt,'And committedgreatblasphemies,
And admonishedthem in order to turnthem backto Your law.Yet they actedarrogantlyand did not listento Your commandmentsbut sinnedagainst Your ordinances,By whichif a manobservesthem he shall live.And they turneda stubbornshoulderand stiffenedtheir neck,and would not listen.
"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.
"For you hatediscipline,And you castMy wordsbehindyou.
"Then you are to sayto them, '[It is] becauseyour forefathershave forsakenMe,' declaresthe LORD,'and have followedothergodsand servedthem and boweddownto them; but Me they have forsakenand have not keptMy law.
"In vainI have struckyour sons;They acceptednochastening.Your swordhas devouredyour prophetsLike a destroyinglion.
"I broughtyou into the fruitfullandTo eatits fruitand its goodthings.But you cameand defiledMy land,And My inheritanceyou madean abomination.
They camein and tookpossessionof it, but they did not obeyYour voiceor walkin Your law;they have donenothingof allthat You commandedthem to do;therefore You have made allthiscalamitycomeupon them.
The LORDhas spokento you, O remnantof Judah,"Do not gointo Egypt!"You should clearlyunderstandthat todayI have testifiedagainst you.
We have transgressedand rebelled,You have not pardoned.
"But the childrenrebelledagainst Me; they did not walkin My statutes,norwere they carefulto observeMy ordinances,by which,[if] a manobservesthem, he will live;they profanedMy sabbaths.So I resolvedto pourout My wrathon them, to accomplishMy angeragainst them in the wilderness.
"The vine-growerstookhis slavesand beatone,and killedanother,and stoneda third.
"Which oneof the prophetsdid your fathersnot persecute?They killedthosewho had previously announcedthe comingof the Righteous One,whosebetrayersand murderersyou have nowbecome;
Curdsof cows,and milkof the flock,With fatof lambs,And rams,the breedof Bashan,and goats,With the finestof the wheat--And of the bloodof grapesyou drankwine.
"But Jeshurungrewfatand kicked--You are grownfat,thick,and sleek--Then he forsookGodwho madehim, And scornedthe Rockof his salvation.
Then the sonsof Israelagaindidevilin the sightof the LORD,servedthe Baalsand the Ashtaroth,the godsof Aram,the godsof Sidon,the godsof Moab,the godsof the sonsof Ammon,and the godsof the Philistines;thus they forsookthe LORDand did not serveHim.
