I warned you when you were prosperous, but you replied,‘ Don’t bother me.’ You have been that way since childhood— you simply will not obey me!

你兴盛的时候，我对你说话；你却说：‘我不听。’你自幼年以来总是这样，不听从我的话。

你兴盛的时候，我对你说话；你却说：“我不听。”你从年轻时就是这样，不肯听我的话。

你兴盛的时候，我对你说话；你却说：“我不听。”你从年轻时就是这样，不肯听我的话。

在你们兴盛的时候，我曾警告过你们，你们却不听。你们从小就叛逆，不听我的话。

你安定的时候，我曾警告过你，你却说：‘我不听！’从你幼年以来，你就是这样，不听从我的话。

你興盛的時候，我對你說話；你卻說：我不聽。你自幼年以來總是這樣，不聽從我的話。

你興盛的時候，我對你說話；你卻說：「我不聽。」你從年輕時就是這樣，不肯聽我的話。

你興盛的時候，我對你說話；你卻說：「我不聽。」你從年輕時就是這樣，不肯聽我的話。

在你們興盛的時候，我曾警告過你們，你們卻不聽。你們從小就叛逆，不聽我的話。

你安定的時候，我曾警告過你，你卻說：‘我不聽！’從你幼年以來，你就是這樣，不聽從我的話。

你優游興盛時、我對你說過話，你卻說：「我不聽。」從你幼年以來你的行徑總是這樣：不聽從我的聲音。

爾興盛時、我與爾言、惟爾曰、我不聽、爾自幼時、所為若是、不從我言、

平康之時、我曾語爾、惟爾不聽、自肇造邦國、以迄於今、爾不從我言、所為若是。

爾平康之時、我曾諭爾、乃爾云、我不願聽、自爾幼年以來、爾不聽我言、此爾故習、

I warned you when you felt secure, but you said,‘ I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth; you have not obeyed me.

When you felt secure, I warned you. But you said,‘ I won’t listen!’ You have acted like that ever since you were young. You have not obeyed me.

I spoke to you in your prosperity, but you said,‘ I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, that you have not obeyed my voice.

I spoke to you when you were secure. You said,“ I will not listen.” This has been your way since youth; indeed, you have never listened to me.

I spoke to you in your prosperity; But you said,‘ I will not listen!’ This has been your way from your youth, That you have not obeyed My voice.

I spoke to you in your prosperity, But you said,‘ I will not hear.’ This has been your manner from your youth, That you did not obey My voice.

I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.

I spoke to you when you were secure. You said,“ I will not listen.” This has been your way since youth; indeed, you have never listened to Me.

I spake unto thee in thy prosperity;[ but] thou saidst, I will not hear. This[ hath been] thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice.

While you were feeling secure I gave you warning. But you said,“ I refuse to listen to you.” That is the way you have acted from your earliest history onward. Indeed, you have never paid attention to me.

I spoke to you in your prosperity; but you said,‘ I will not listen.’ This has been your way from your youth, that you didn’t obey my voice.

Israel and Judah have done nothing but wrong since their earliest days. They have infuriated me with all their evil deeds,” says the Lord.

When I led your ancestors out of Egypt, it was not burnt offerings and sacrifices I wanted from them.This is what I told them:‘ Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Do everything as I say, and all will be well!’“ But my people would not listen to me. They kept doing whatever they wanted, following the stubborn desires of their evil hearts. They went backward instead of forward.From the day your ancestors left Egypt until now, I have continued to send my servants, the prophets— day in and day out.But my people have not listened to me or even tried to hear. They have been stubborn and sinful— even worse than their ancestors.“ Tell them all this, but do not expect them to listen. Shout out your warnings, but do not expect them to respond.Say to them,‘ This is the nation whose people will not obey the Lord their God and who refuse to be taught. Truth has vanished from among them; it is no longer heard on their lips.

Let us now lie down in shame and cover ourselves with dishonor, for we and our ancestors have sinned against the Lord our God. From our childhood to this day we have never obeyed him.”

They became prostitutes in Egypt. Even as young girls, they allowed men to fondle their breasts.The older girl was named Oholah, and her sister was Oholibah. I married them, and they bore me sons and daughters. I am speaking of Samaria and Jerusalem, for Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem.“ Then Oholah lusted after other lovers instead of me, and she gave her love to the Assyrian officers.They were all attractive young men, captains and commanders dressed in handsome blue, charioteers driving their horses.And so she prostituted herself with the most desirable men of Assyria, worshiping their idols and defiling herself.For when she left Egypt, she did not leave her spirit of prostitution behind. She was still as lewd as in her youth, when the Egyptians slept with her, fondled her breasts, and used her as a prostitute.“ And so I handed her over to her Assyrian lovers, whom she desired so much.They stripped her, took away her children as their slaves, and then killed her. After she received her punishment, her reputation was known to every woman in the land.“ Yet even though Oholibah saw what had happened to Oholah, her sister, she followed right in her footsteps. And she was even more depraved, abandoning herself to her lust and prostitution.She fawned over all the Assyrian officers— those captains and commanders in handsome uniforms, those charioteers driving their horses— all of them attractive young men.I saw the way she was going, defiling herself just like her older sister.“ Then she carried her prostitution even further. She fell in love with pictures that were painted on a wall— pictures of Babylonian military officers, outfitted in striking red uniforms.Handsome belts encircled their waists, and flowing turbans crowned their heads. They were dressed like chariot officers from the land of Babylonia.When she saw these paintings, she longed to give herself to them, so she sent messengers to Babylonia to invite them to come to her.So they came and committed adultery with her, defiling her in the bed of love. After being defiled, however, she rejected them in disgust.“ In the same way, I became disgusted with Oholibah and rejected her, just as I had rejected her sister, because she flaunted herself before them and gave herself to satisfy their lusts.Yet she turned to even greater prostitution, remembering her youth when she was a prostitute in Egypt.She lusted after lovers with genitals as large as a donkey’s and emissions like those of a horse.And so, Oholibah, you relived your former days as a young girl in Egypt, when you first allowed your breasts to be fondled.“ Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will send your lovers against you from every direction— those very nations from which you turned away in disgust.For the Babylonians will come with all the Chaldeans from Pekod and Shoa and Koa. And all the Assyrians will come with them— handsome young captains, commanders, chariot officers, and other high ranking officers, all riding their horses.They will all come against you from the north with chariots, wagons, and a great army prepared for attack. They will take up positions on every side, surrounding you with men armed with shields and helmets. And I will hand you over to them for punishment so they can do with you as they please.I will turn my jealous anger against you, and they will deal harshly with you. They will cut off your nose and ears, and any survivors will then be slaughtered by the sword. Your children will be taken away as captives, and everything that is left will be burned.They will strip you of your beautiful clothes and jewels.In this way, I will put a stop to the lewdness and prostitution you brought from Egypt. You will never again cast longing eyes on those things or fondly remember your time in Egypt.“ For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will surely hand you over to your enemies, to those you loathe, those you rejected.They will treat you with hatred and rob you of all you own, leaving you stark naked. The shame of your prostitution will be exposed to all the world.You brought all this on yourself by prostituting yourself to other nations, defiling yourself with all their idols.Because you have followed in your sister’s footsteps, I will force you to drink the same cup of terror she drank.“ Yes, this is what the Sovereign Lord says:“ You will drink from your sister’s cup of terror, a cup that is large and deep. It is filled to the brim with scorn and derision.Drunkenness and anguish will fill you, for your cup is filled to the brim with distress and desolation, the same cup your sister Samaria drank.You will drain that cup of terror to the very bottom. Then you will smash it to pieces and beat your breast in anguish. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!“ And because you have forgotten me and turned your back on me, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: You must bear the consequences of all your lewdness and prostitution.”The Lord said to me,“ Son of man, you must accuse Oholah and Oholibah of all their detestable sins.They have committed both adultery and murder— adultery by worshiping idols and murder by burning as sacrifices the children they bore to me.Furthermore, they have defiled my Temple and violated my Sabbath day!On the very day that they sacrificed their children to their idols, they boldly came into my Temple to worship! They came in and defiled my house.

“ Yes, I will tell you of things that are entirely new, things you never heard of before. For I know so well what traitors you are. You have been rebels from birth.

For if I grow rich, I may deny you and say,“ Who is the Lord?” And if I am too poor, I may steal and thus insult God’s holy name.

Time after time I sent you prophets, who told you,“ Turn from your wicked ways, and start doing things right. Stop worshiping other gods so that you might live in peace here in the land I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you would not listen to me or obey me.

This is what the Lord says:“ Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply,‘ No, that’s not the road we want!’

“ But they rebelled against me and would not listen. They did not get rid of the vile images they were obsessed with, or forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I threatened to pour out my fury on them to satisfy my anger while they were still in Egypt.

The Israelites did evil in the Lord’s sight and served the images of Baal.They abandoned the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of Egypt. They went after other gods, worshiping the gods of the people around them. And they angered the Lord.They abandoned the Lord to serve Baal and the images of Ashtoreth.This made the Lord burn with anger against Israel, so he handed them over to raiders who stole their possessions. He turned them over to their enemies all around, and they were no longer able to resist them.Every time Israel went out to battle, the Lord fought against them, causing them to be defeated, just as he had warned. And the people were in great distress.Then the Lord raised up judges to rescue the Israelites from their attackers.Yet Israel did not listen to the judges but prostituted themselves by worshiping other gods. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands.Whenever the Lord raised up a judge over Israel, he was with that judge and rescued the people from their enemies throughout the judge’s lifetime. For the Lord took pity on his people, who were burdened by oppression and suffering.But when the judge died, the people returned to their corrupt ways, behaving worse than those who had lived before them. They went after other gods, serving and worshiping them. And they refused to give up their evil practices and stubborn ways.

For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Even now, while I am still alive and am here with you, you have rebelled against the Lord. How much more rebellious will you be after my death!

But the people mocked these messengers of God and despised their words. They scoffed at the prophets until the Lord’s anger could no longer be restrained and nothing could be done.So the Lord brought the king of Babylon against them. The Babylonians killed Judah’s young men, even chasing after them into the Temple. They had no pity on the people, killing both young men and young women, the old and the infirm. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar.

“ But our ancestors were proud and stubborn, and they paid no attention to your commands.They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,even when they made an idol shaped like a calf and said,‘ This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!’ They committed terrible blasphemies.“ But in your great mercy you did not abandon them to die in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud still led them forward by day, and the pillar of fire showed them the way through the night.You sent your good Spirit to instruct them, and you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst.For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!“ Then you helped our ancestors conquer kingdoms and nations, and you placed your people in every corner of the land. They took over the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan.You made their descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and brought them into the land you had promised to their ancestors.“ They went in and took possession of the land. You subdued whole nations before them. Even the Canaanites, who inhabited the land, were powerless! Your people could deal with these nations and their kings as they pleased.Our ancestors captured fortified cities and fertile land. They took over houses full of good things, with cisterns already dug and vineyards and olive groves and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate until they were full and grew fat and enjoyed themselves in all your blessings.“ But despite all this, they were disobedient and rebelled against you. They turned their backs on your Law, they killed your prophets who warned them to return to you, and they committed terrible blasphemies.So you handed them over to their enemies, who made them suffer. But in their time of trouble they cried to you, and you heard them from heaven. In your great mercy, you sent them liberators who rescued them from their enemies.“ But as soon as they were at peace, your people again committed evil in your sight, and once more you let their enemies conquer them. Yet whenever your people turned and cried to you again for help, you listened once more from heaven. In your wonderful mercy, you rescued them many times!“ You warned them to return to your Law, but they became proud and obstinate and disobeyed your commands. They did not follow your regulations, by which people will find life if only they obey. They stubbornly turned their backs on you and refused to listen.In your love, you were patient with them for many years. You sent your Spirit, who warned them through the prophets. But still they wouldn’t listen! So once again you allowed the peoples of the land to conquer them.But in your great mercy, you did not destroy them completely or abandon them forever. What a gracious and merciful God you are!“ And now, our God, the great and mighty and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of unfailing love, do not let all the hardships we have suffered seem insignificant to you. Great trouble has come upon us and upon our kings and leaders and priests and prophets and ancestors— all of your people— from the days when the kings of Assyria first triumphed over us until now.Every time you punished us you were being just. We have sinned greatly, and you gave us only what we deserved.Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestors did not obey your Law or listen to the warnings in your commands and laws.Even while they had their own kingdom, they did not serve you, though you showered your goodness on them. You gave them a large, fertile land, but they refused to turn from their wickedness.“ So now today we are slaves in the land of plenty that you gave our ancestors for their enjoyment! We are slaves here in this good land.The lush produce of this land piles up in the hands of the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. They have power over us and our livestock. We serve them at their pleasure, and we are in great misery.”

Yes, you have been rebelling against the Lord as long as I have known you.

The king sent Jehudi to get the scroll. Jehudi brought it from Elishama’s room and read it to the king as all his officials stood by.It was late autumn, and the king was in a winterized part of the palace, sitting in front of a fire to keep warm.Each time Jehudi finished reading three or four columns, the king took a knife and cut off that section of the scroll. He then threw it into the fire, section by section, until the whole scroll was burned up.Neither the king nor his attendants showed any signs of fear or repentance at what they heard.Even when Elnathan, Delaiah, and Gemariah begged the king not to burn the scroll, he wouldn’t listen.Then the king commanded his son Jerahmeel, Seraiah son of Azriel, and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest Baruch and Jeremiah. But the Lord had hidden them.

“ But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So again I threatened to pour out my fury on them in the wilderness.

“ But Israel soon became fat and unruly; the people grew heavy, plump, and stuffed! Then they abandoned the God who had made them; they made light of the Rock of their salvation.They stirred up his jealousy by worshiping foreign gods; they provoked his fury with detestable deeds.They offered sacrifices to demons, which are not God, to gods they had not known before, to new gods only recently arrived, to gods their ancestors had never feared.You neglected the Rock who had fathered you; you forgot the God who had given you birth.“ The Lord saw this and drew back, provoked to anger by his own sons and daughters.He said,‘ I will abandon them; then see what becomes of them. For they are a twisted generation, children without integrity.

for when I brought them into the land I had promised them, they offered sacrifices on every high hill and under every green tree they saw! They roused my fury as they offered up sacrifices to their gods. They brought their perfumes and incense and poured out their liquid offerings to them.

“ Remember and never forget how angry you made the Lord your God out in the wilderness. From the day you left Egypt until now, you have been constantly rebelling against him.

The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they ignored all his warnings.

“ O my people, listen to the words of the Lord! Have I been like a desert to Israel? Have I been to them a land of darkness? Why then do my people say,‘ At last we are free from God! We don’t need him anymore!’

“ But the people of Israel rebelled against me, and they refused to obey my decrees there in the wilderness. They wouldn’t obey my regulations even though obedience would have given them life. They also violated my Sabbath days. So I threatened to pour out my fury on them, and I made plans to utterly consume them in the wilderness.

Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly!Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea.Even so, he saved them— to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power.He commanded the Red Sea to dry up. He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert.So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes.Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived.Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise.Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland.So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it.The people in the camp were jealous of Moses and envious of Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest.Because of this, the earth opened up; it swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram and the other rebels.Fire fell upon their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold.They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass eating bull.They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt—such wonderful things in the land of Ham, such awesome deeds at the Red Sea.So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them.Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.Therefore, he solemnly swore that he would kill them in the wilderness,that he would scatter their descendants among the nations, exiling them to distant lands.Then our ancestors joined in the worship of Baal at Peor; they even ate sacrifices offered to the dead!They angered the Lord with all these things, so a plague broke out among them.But Phinehas had the courage to intervene, and the plague was stopped.So he has been regarded as a righteous man ever since that time.At Meribah, too, they angered the Lord, causing Moses serious trouble.They made Moses angry, and he spoke foolishly.Israel failed to destroy the nations in the land, as the Lord had commanded them.Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs.They worshiped their idols, which led to their downfall.They even sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons.They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters. By sacrificing them to the idols of Canaan, they polluted the land with murder.They defiled themselves by their evil deeds, and their love of idols was adultery in the Lord’s sight.That is why the Lord’s anger burned against his people, and he abhorred his own special possession.He handed them over to pagan nations, and they were ruled by those who hated them.Their enemies crushed them and brought them under their cruel power.Again and again he rescued them, but they chose to rebel against him, and they were finally destroyed by their sin.Even so, he pitied them in their distress and listened to their cries.He remembered his covenant with them and relented because of his unfailing love.He even caused their captors to treat them with kindness.Save us, O Lord our God! Gather us back from among the nations, so we can thank your holy name and rejoice and praise you.Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, who lives from everlasting to everlasting! Let all the people say,“ Amen!” Praise the Lord!