They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern. ¹ 

Lord, do not be too angry! Do not hold our sins against us continually! ¹  Take a good look at your people, at all of us! ² 

An ox recognizes its owner, a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food; ¹  but Israel does not recognize me, ²  my people do not understand.”

But he does not agree with this, his mind does not reason this way, ¹  for his goal is to destroy, and to eliminate many nations. ² 

But the sovereign Lord helps me, so I am not humiliated. For that reason I am steadfastly resolved; ¹  I know I will not be put to shame.

So listen to this, oppressed one, who is drunk, but not from wine!

Look, the Lord’s hand is not too weak ¹  to deliver you; his ear is not too deaf to hear you. ² 

“I made myself available to those who did not ask for me; ¹  I appeared to those who did not look for me. ²  I said, ‘Here I am! Here I am!’ to a nation that did not invoke ³  my name.

The people did not return to the one who struck them, they did not seek reconciliation ¹  with the Lord who commands armies.

To make a contribution one selects wood that will not rot; ¹  he then seeks a skilled craftsman to make ²  an idol that will not fall over.

You said, ‘I will rule forever as permanent queen!’ ¹  You did not think about these things; ²  you did not consider how it would turn out. ³ 

Whom are you worried about? Whom do you fear, that you would act so deceitfully and not remember me or think about me? ¹  Because I have been silent for so long, ²  you are not afraid of me. ³ 

They were silent and did not respond, for the king had ordered, “Don’t respond to him.”

Grain is crushed, though one certainly does not thresh it forever. The wheel of one’s wagon rolls over it, but his horses do not crush it.

If the wicked are shown mercy, they do not learn about justice. ¹  Even in a land where right is rewarded, they act unjustly; ²  they do not see the Lord’s majesty revealed.

I am bringing my deliverance near, it is not far away; I am bringing my salvation near, ¹  it does not wait. I will save Zion; ²  I will adorn Israel with my splendor.” ³ 

The dead do not come back to life, the spirits of the dead do not rise. ¹  That is because ²  you came in judgment ³  and destroyed them, you wiped out all memory of them.

I have not spoken in secret, in some hidden place. ¹  I did not tell Jacob’s descendants, ‘Seek me in vain!’ ²  I am the Lord, the one who speaks honestly, who makes reliable announcements. ³ 

You see ¹  many things, but don’t comprehend; ²  their ears are open, but do not hear.”

Ephraim’s leader is Samaria, and Samaria’s leader is the son of Remaliah. If your faith does not remain firm, then you will not remain secure.” ¹