Study Desk

and tell them that I, the Lord God, am saying: Jerusalem, you were born in the country where Canaanites lived. Your father was an Amorite, and your mother was a Hittite.

When I saw you again, you were old enough to have sex. So I covered your naked body with my own robe. Then I solemnly promised that you would belong to me and that I, the Lord God, would take care of you.

and everyone on earth knew it. I, the Lord God, had helped you become a lovely young woman.

I supplied you with fine flour, olive oil, and honey, but you sacrificed it all as offerings to please those idols. I, the Lord God, watched this happen.

Now I, the Lord God, say you are doomed! Not only did you do these evil things,

I, the Lord God, say that you were so disgusting that you would have done anything to get what you wanted.

So I, the Lord God, will gather every one of your lovers, those you liked and those you hated. They will stand around you, and I will rip off your clothes and let all of those lovers stare at your nakedness.

You made me furious by doing all these disgusting things and by forgetting how I took care of you when you were young. Then you made things worse by acting like a prostitute. You must be punished! I, the Lord God, have spoken.

As surely as I am the living Lord God, the people of Sodom and its nearby villages were never as sinful as you.

I will forgive you, but you will think about your sins and be too ashamed to say a word. I, the Lord God, have spoken.

As surely as I am the living Lord God, I swear that the king of Judah will die in Babylon, because he broke the treaty with the king of Babylonia, who appointed him king.

Now tell them that I am the Lord God, and as surely as I live, that saying will no longer be used in Israel.

I, the Lord God, don't like to see wicked people die. I enjoy seeing them turn from their sins and live.

I, the Lord God, don't want to see that happen to anyone. So stop sinning and live!

Just then, the Lord God said:

Tell them that long ago I, the Lord God, chose Israel to be my own. I appeared to their ancestors in Egypt and made a solemn promise that I would be their God and the God of their descendants.

I told them to get rid of their disgusting idols and not to sin by worshiping the gods of Egypt. I reminded them that I was the Lord their God,

I reminded them that I was the Lord their God and that they should obey my laws and teachings.

I told them to respect my Sabbath to show that they were my people and that I was the Lord their God.

by worshiping idols and by sacrificing their own children as offerings. They commit these sins and still think they can ask me for a message. As surely as I am the living Lord God, I will give them no answer.