17. What kind of return is this for the favors I granted you?When you were hungry and thirsty in the wilderness, you called out to me,
18. "Why did you lead us into this wilderness to kill us? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in this desert."
19. Therefore, I felt sorry for your groans. I gave you manna, and you ate.
20. When you were thirsty, I split open the rock so that water flowed in abundance. Because of the hot sun, I created trees covered with leaves for you.
21. I gave you fertile lands. I drove out Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, and their children before you. What more can I do for you?! says the Lord.
22. The Lord says this: In the desert when you were thirsty at the bitter river and insulting my name,
23. I didn’t become angry. Instead, I cast wood into the water and made the river sweet.
24. What will I do to you, Jacob?Judah, you wouldn’t obey me.I will turn to another nationand give them my name.They will certainly keep my ordinances.
25. When those who abandoned mebeg for mercy,I won’t have mercy on them.
26. When they call upon me,I won’t hear thembecause they have stained their souls,and have hands stained with blood.Your feet aren’t slow to commit murder.
27. You haven’t abandoned me;rather, you have abandoned yourselves, says the Lord.
28. The Lord says this: Didn’t I plead with you like a father with his sons, like a mother with her daughters, and like a nurse who loves her little one,
29. that you should be my people and I your God, and that you should be my children and I your Father?
30. I gathered you as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings. But what will I do with you?I will throw you out of my presence.
31. When you bring me offerings, I will turn my eyes away from you. I didn’t command you to observe festival days, new moons, sabbaths, and circumcisions.
32. I sent my servants the prophets to you. You took them, mangled them, and slaughtered those who had been sent. But I will make you pay for their deaths, says the Lord.
33. The almighty Lord says this: Your house is left empty. I will scatter you as the wind scatters straw.
34. Your children will have no children, because they have neglected my commandment, and have done evil in front of me.
35. I will hand over your houses to a people who will come from far away. Those who didn’t know me will believe me, and those to whom I showed no signs will do what I commanded.
36. They didn’t see prophets but are mindful of the prophets’ antiquity.