Then she defied my regulations and my statutes, becoming more wicked than the nations<n id="1" /> and the countries around her.<n id="2" /> Indeed, they<n id="3" /> have rejected my regulations, and they do not follow my statutes.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Because you are more arrogant<n id="1" /> than the nations around you,<n id="2" /> you have not followed my statutes and have not carried out my regulations. You have not even<n id="3" /> carried out the regulations of the nations around you!p>

But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not follow my statutes and they rejected my regulations (the one who obeys them will live by them), and they utterly desecrated my Sabbaths. So I decided to pour out<n id="1" /> my rage on them in the wilderness and destroy them.<n id="2" />

&#8220;&#8216;But the children<n id="1" /> rebelled against me, did not follow my statutes, did not observe my regulations by carrying them out (the one who obeys<n id="2" /> them will live by them), and desecrated my Sabbaths. I decided to pour out<n id="3" /> my rage on them and fully vent my anger against them in the wilderness.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Each of you go and serve your idols,<n id="1" /> if you will not listen to me.<n id="2" /> But my holy name will not be profaned<n id="3" /> again by your sacrifices<n id="4" /> and your idols.

Say to the Ammonites, &#8216;Hear the word of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>: This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: You said &#8220;Aha!&#8221; about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile.

They come to you in crowds,<n id="1" /> and they sit in front of you as<n id="2" /> my people. They hear your words, but do not obey<n id="3" /> them. For they talk lustfully,<n id="4" /> and their heart is set on<n id="5" /> their own advantage.<n id="6" />

Then tell them, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Look, I am about to take the Israelites from among the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from round about and bring them to their land.

<t /><p class="bodytext">When the <sc>Lordsc> first spoke<n id="1" /> through<n id="2" /> Hosea, he<n id="3" /> said to him,<n id="4" /> &#8220;Go marry<n id="5" /> a prostitute<n id="6" /> who will bear illegitimate children conceived through prostitution,<n id="7" /> because the nation<n id="8" /> continually commits spiritual prostitution<n id="9" /> by turning away from<n id="10" /> the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;

<p class="poetry">Then she will pursue her lovers, but she will not catch<n id="1" /> them;p> <p class="poetry">she will seek them, but she will not find them.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Then she will say,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will go back<n id="3" /> to my husband,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">because I was better off then than I am now.&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;I will punish her for the festival daysp> <p class="poetry">when she burned incense to the Baal idols;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">she adorned herself with earrings and jewelry,p> <p class="poetry">and went after her lovers,p> <p class="poetry">but<n id="2" /> she forgot me!&#8221;<n id="3" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said to me, &#8220;Go, show love to<n id="1" /> your wife<n id="2" /> again, even though she loves<n id="3" /> another man<n id="4" /> and continually commits adultery.<n id="5" /> Likewise, the <sc>Lordsc> loves<n id="6" /> the Israelites<n id="7" /> although they turn to other gods and love to offer raisin cakes to idols.&#8221;<n id="8" />

<p class="poetry">When Ephraim saw<n id="1" /> his sicknessp> <p class="poetry">and Judah saw his wound,p> <p class="poetry">then Ephraim turned<n id="2" /> to Assyria,p> <p class="poetry">and begged<n id="3" /> its great king<n id="4" /> for help.p> <p class="poetry">But he will not be able to heal you!p> <p class="poetry">He cannot cure your wound!<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">make that four!<n id="2" /> &#8211; I will not revoke my decree of judgment.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They rejected the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s law;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">they did not obey his commands.p> <p class="poetry">Their false gods,<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">to which their fathers were loyal,<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">led them astray.p>

<p class="poetry">They trample<n id="1" /> on the dirt-covered heads of the poor;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they push the destitute away.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">A man and his father go to the same girl;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">in this way they show disrespect<n id="5" /> for my moral purity.<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">Therefore the <sc>Lordsc> says this: &#8220;Look, I am devising disaster for this nation!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">It will be like a yoke from which you cannot free your neck.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You will no longer<n id="3" /> walk proudly,p> <p class="poetry">for it will be a time of catastrophe.p>

<p class="poetry">He has told you, O man, what is good,p> <p class="poetry">and what the <sc>Lordsc> really wants from you:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He wants you to<n id="2" /> promote<n id="3" /> justice, to be faithful,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and to live obediently before<n id="5" /> your God.p>

<p class="poetry">Yet she went into captivity as an exile;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">even her infants were smashed to pieces<n id="2" /> at the head of every street.p> <p class="poetry">They cast lots<n id="3" /> for her nobility;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">all her dignitaries were bound with chains.p>

&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all says, &#8216;If you live<n id="1" /> and work according to my requirements, you will be able to preside over my temple<n id="2" /> and attend to my courtyards, and I will allow you to come and go among these others who are standing by you.

The <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all says, &#8216;In those days ten people from all languages and nations will grasp hold of &#8211; indeed, grab &#8211; the robe of one Jew and say, &#8220;Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" />p>