4. Then I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they know not the way of Jehovah, nor the law of their God:
5. I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they know the way of Jehovah, and the law of their God. But these with one accord have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
6. Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, a wolf of the evenings shall destroy them, a leopard shall watch against their cities; every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces; because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
7. How can I pardon thee? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the harlots’ houses.
8. They were as fed horses roaming at large; every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.
9. Shall I not visit for these things? saith Jehovah; and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10. Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her branches; for they are not Jehovah’s.
11. For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith Jehovah.