Study Desk

Then the LORD said to me in the days of King Josiah, "Have you seen what faithless Israel did? She went up on every high hill and under every leafy tree, and she prostituted herself there.

The Lord said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot.

"Yet I thought, 'After she has done all these things she will return to Me'; but she did not return, and her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

And I said after she had done all these things, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

"And I saw that for all the adulteries of faithless Israel, I had sent her away and given her a certificate of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear; but she went and prostituted herself also.

And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also.

"And because of the thoughtlessness of her prostitution, she defiled the land and committed adultery with stones and trees.

And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks.

"Yet in spite of all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to Me with all her heart, but rather in deception," declares the LORD.

And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the Lord .