When Ephraim spoke, there was terror; he was exalted in Israel, but he became guilty by worshiping Baal and died.

For I will remove the names of the Baal idols from your lips, so that you will never again utter their names!”

But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. They sacrificed to the Baal idols and burned incense to images.

“I will punish her for the festival days when she burned incense to the Baal idols; she adorned herself with earrings and jewelry, and went after her lovers, but she forgot me!” says the Lord.

They turn to Baal; they are like an unreliable bow. Their leaders will fall by the sword because their prayers to Baal have made me angry. So people will disdain them in the land of Egypt.

Yet until now she has refused to acknowledge that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil; and that it was I who lavished on her the silver and gold – which they used in worshiping Baal!

My people are obsessed with turning away from me; they call to Baal, but he will never exalt them!

When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness. I viewed your ancestors like an early fig on a fig tree in its first season. Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame – they became as detestable as what they loved.

Israel was a fertile vine that yielded fruit. As his fruit multiplied, he multiplied altars to Baal. As his land prospered, they adorned the fertility pillars.

“At that time,” declares the Lord, “you will call, ‘My husband’; you will never again call me, ‘My master.’

O Israel, do not rejoice jubilantly like the nations, for you are unfaithful to your God. You love to receive a prostitute's wages on all the floors where you thresh your grain.