in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
[18] And now what hast
thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria,
to drink the waters of the river?
[19] Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall
reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD
thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
[20] For of old time I have broken
thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under
every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.
[21] Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a
right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
[22] For though
thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the
Lord GOD.
[23] How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the
valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
[24] A wild ass used
to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all
they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
[25] Withhold thy foot from
being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers,
and after them will I go.
[26] As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they,
their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,
[27] Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and
to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but
in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
[28] But where are thy gods that thou hast
made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number
of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
[29] Wherefore will ye plead with me? ye all have transgressed against
me, saith the LORD.
[30] In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword
hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
[31] O generation, see ye the word of the LORD.
Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? wherefore say my people, We are lords; we
will come no more unto thee?
[32] Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people
have forgotten me days without number.
[33] Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast
thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.
[34] Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the
poor innocents: I have not found it by secret search, but upon all these.
[35] Yet thou sayest, Because I
am innocent, surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, I will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I
have not sinned.
[36] Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed
of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
[37] Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thine hands upon
thine head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them.
Jer.3
[1] They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he
return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many
lovers; yet return again to me, saith the LORD.
[2] Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and see where
thou hast not been lien with. In the ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in the wilderness; and
thou hast polluted the land with thy whoredoms and with thy wickedness.
[3] Therefore the showers have
been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore's forehead, thou refusedst
to be ashamed.
[4] Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?
[5]
Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil
things as thou couldest.
[6] The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen
that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every
green tree, and there hath played the harlot.
[7] And I said after she had done all these things, Turn
thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.
[8] And I saw, when for
all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of
divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.
[9] And it came
to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with
stones and with stocks.
[10] And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me
with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.
[11] And the LORD said unto me, The backsliding
Israel hath justified herself more than treacherous Judah.
[12] Go and proclaim these words toward the
north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall
upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.
[13] Only acknowledge