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

Although they bring their flocks and herds to seek the favor of the Lord, They will not find him – he has withdrawn himself from them!

O Samaria, he has rejected your calf idol! My anger burns against them! They will not survive much longer without being punished, even though they are Israelites!

They will not remain in the Lord’s land. Ephraim will return to Egypt; they will eat ritually unclean food in Assyria.

My God will reject them, for they have not obeyed him; so they will be fugitives among the nations.

Yet it was I who led Ephraim, I took them by the arm; but they did not acknowledge that I had healed them.

They will return to Egypt! Assyria will rule over them because they refuse to repent!

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

But I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Therefore, you must not acknowledge any God but me; except me there is no Savior.

Our food has been cut off right before our eyes! There is no longer any joy or gladness in the temple of our God!

They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. Each one proceeds on his course; they do not alter their path.

“But you made the Nazirites drink wine; you commanded the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy!’

“They do not know how to do what is right.” (The Lord is speaking.) “They store up the spoils of destructive violence in their fortresses.

“The virgin Israel has fallen down and will not get up again. She is abandoned on her own land with no one to help her get up.”

They drink wine from sacrificial bowls, and pour the very best oils on themselves. Yet they are not concerned over the ruin of Joseph.

The Lord decided not to do this. The sovereign Lord said, “This will not happen either.”

All the sinners among my people will die by the sword – the ones who say, ‘Disaster will not come near, it will not confront us.’

At that time,” the Lord says, “I will destroy the wise sages of Edom! the advisers from Esau’s mountain!

Instead, they tried to row back to land, but they were not able to do so because the storm kept growing worse and worse.

Who knows? Perhaps God might be willing to change his mind and relent and turn from his fierce anger so that we might not die.”