16. Even the sons of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.
17. Could this not have come upon you peradventure because 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 the Nile? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria? to drink the waters of the river Eufrates?
19. Thine own wickedness shall chastise thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee; know therefore and see how evil and bitter it is, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God and that my fear is lacking in thee, saith the Lord GOD of the hosts.
20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke and burst thy bands; and thou didst say, I will not serve sin. With all this, upon every high hill and under every green tree thou dost wander, playing the harlot.
21. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, a seed of Truth, all of her; 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 sealed before me, saith the Lord GOD.