7. How can I be merciful to thee? thy children have forsaken me, and swear by them that are not gods: I fed them to the full, and they committed adultery, and rioted in the harlot's house.
8. They are become as amorous horses and stallions, every one neighed after his neighbor's wife.
9. Shall I not visit for these things, sayeth the Lord? and shall not my soul take revenge on such a nation?
10. Scale down the walls thereof, and throw them down, but do not utterly destroy: take away the branches thereof, because they are not the Lord's.
11. For the house of Israel, and the house of Juda have greatly transgressed against me, saith the Lord.
12. They have denied the Lord, and said, It is not he: and the evil shall not come upon us: we shall not see the sword and famine.
13. The prophets have spoken in the wind, and there was no word of God in them: these things therefore shall befall them.
14. Thus saith the Lord the God of hosts: Because you have spoken this word, behold I will make my words in thy mouth as fire, and this people as wood, and it shall devour them.
15. Behold I will bring upon you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: a strong nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou shalt not know, nor understand what they say.
16. Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all valiant.