5. This is what the Lord says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves.
6. They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
7. I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.
8. The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.
9. “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the Lord. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10. Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11. Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols.
12. Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the Lord.
13. “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14. Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder?
15. Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted.
16. Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skull.
17. Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the Lord your God when he led you in the way?
18. Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile ? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates?
19. Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.
20. “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute.
21. I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine?
22. Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign Lord.