Study Desk

They became proud. They sinned more and more against me, so I will change their honor to shame.

So the priests are no different from the people. I will punish them for the things they did. I will pay them back for the wrong things they did.

They make sacrifices on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills under oak trees, poplar trees, and elm trees. The shade under those trees looks nice. So your daughters lie under those trees like prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit sexual sins.

"Ephraim has joined his idols, so leave him alone.

You have done many evil things, so I will punish you all.

Israel's pride is a witness against them, so Israel and Ephraim will stumble in their sin. But Judah will also stumble with them.

The leaders of Judah are like thieves trying to steal someone's property, so I will pour out my anger on them like water.

Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, so they went to Assyria for help. They told their problems to the great king, but he cannot heal you or cure your wound.

On Our King's Day, the leaders get so drunk that they get sick. They become crazy with wine and make agreements with people who laugh at God.

So Ephraim has become like a silly dove without understanding. The people called to Egypt for help. They went to Assyria for help.

It will be very bad for those who left me. They refused to obey me, so they will be destroyed. I saved them, but they speak lies against me.

But Israel refused the good things, so the enemy chases him.

The Israelites chose their kings, but they didn't come to me for advice. They chose leaders, but they didn't choose men I knew. The Israelites used their silver and gold to make idols for themselves, so they will be destroyed.

Israel has built palaces for their kings, and now Judah builds fortresses. But they have forgotten their Maker! So I will send a fire to destroy their cities and fortresses!"

"At the time I, the Lord, found Israel, they were like fresh grapes in the desert. They were like the first figs on a fig tree at the beginning of the season. But when they came to Baal Peor, they changed. So I had to cut them off like rotten fruit. They became like the terrible things that they loved.

Those people will not listen to my God, so he will refuse to listen to them. And they will wander among the nations without a home.

Israel is like a vine that grows plenty of fruit. But as Israel got more and more things, he built more and more altars to honor false gods. His land became better and better, so he put up better and better stones to honor false gods.

So your armies will hear the noise of battle, and all your fortresses will be destroyed. It will be like the time Shalman destroyed Beth Arbel. At that time of war, mothers were killed with their children.

And this will happen to you at Bethel, because you did so many evil things. When that day begins, the king of Israel will be fully destroyed.

So come back to your God. Be loyal to him. Do the right thing, and always trust in your God!