8. The priests didn’t ask,‘Where is the Lord?’The people who know the teachings didn’t know me.The leaders turned against me.The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal.They worshiped useless idols.
9. “So now I will again tell what I have against you,” says the Lord.“And I will tell what I have against your grandchildren.
10. Go across the sea to the island of Cyprus and see.Send someone to the land of Kedar to look closely.See if there has ever been anything like this!
11. Has a nation ever exchanged their old gods for new ones?(Of course, their gods are not really gods at all.)But my people have exchanged their glorious Godfor idols worth nothing!
12. Skies, be shocked at the things that have happened.Shake with great fear!” says the Lord.
13. “My people have done two sins.They have turned away from me.And I am the spring of living water.And they have dug their own wells.But they are broken wells that cannot hold water.
14. Have the people of Israel become slaves?Have they become like someone who was born a slave?Why was their wealth stolen?
15. Enemies roar like lions at Israel.They growl at Israel.They have destroyed the land of Israel.The cities of Israel have been burned,and all the people have left.
16. The men from the Egyptian cities of Memphis and Tahpanheshave disgraced you by shaving the top of your head.
17. You have brought this on yourselves.You turned away from me, the Lord your God,when I led you in the way.