Chapter 2 _{3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD.4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:5 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?6 Neither said they, Where is the LORD that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?7 And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.9 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead.10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD.13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, 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.}