Study Desk

Then I said to her, "You shall live with me for many days. You shall not play the prostitute, nor shall you have another man; so I will also be toward you."

The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will change their glory into shame.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hidden from Me; Because now, Ephraim, you have been unfaithful, Israel has defiled itself.

I will go away and return to My place Until they acknowledge their guilt and seek My face; In their distress they will search for Me.

But like Adam they have violated the covenant; There they have dealt treacherously with Me.

All of them are hot like an oven, And they consume their rulers; All their kings have fallen. None of them calls on Me.

Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction is theirs, for they have rebelled against Me! I would redeem them, but they have spoken lies against Me.

And they do not cry to Me from their heart When they wail on their beds; For the sake of grain and new wine they assemble themselves, They turn against Me.

Although I trained and strengthened their arms, Yet they devise evil against Me.

They cry out to Me, "My God, we of Israel know You!"

They have set up kings, but not by Me; They have appointed officials, but I did not know it. With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves, So that they will be eliminated.

They will not return to the land of Egypt; But Assyria—he will be their king Because they refused to return to Me.

So My people are determined to turn from Me. Though they call them to the One on high, None at all exalts Him.

How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart is turned over within Me, All My compassions are kindled.

Ephraim surrounds Me with lies And the house of Israel with deceit; Judah is still unruly against God, Even against the Holy One who is faithful.

And Ephraim said, "I have certainly become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors they will find in me No wrongdoing, which would be sin."

Yet I have been the LORD your God Since the land of Egypt; And you were not to know any god except Me, For there is no savior besides Me.

As they had their pasture, they became satisfied, And as they became satisfied, their heart became proud; Therefore they forgot Me.

It is to your own destruction, Israel, That you are against Me, against your help.

Where then is your king, That he might save you in all your cities; And your judges, to whom you said, "Give me a king and princes"?