8. The priests who teach my lawsdon't care to know me.Your leaders rebel against me;your prophetsgive messages from Baaland worship false gods.
9. I will take you to courtand accuse youand your descendants
10-11. of a crime that no nationhas ever committed before.Just ask anyone, anywhere,from the eastern desertsto the islands in the west.You will find that no nationhas ever abandoned its godseven though they were false.I am the true and glorious God,but you have rejected meto worship idols.
12. Tell the heavensto tremble with fear!
13. You, my people, have sinnedin two ways—you have rejected me, the sourceof life-giving water,and you've tried to collect waterin cracked and leaking pitsdug in the ground.
14. People of Israel,you weren't born slaves;you were captured in war.
15. Enemies roared like lionsand destroyed your land;towns lie burnt and empty.
16. Soldiers from the Egyptian townsof Memphis and Tahpanheshave cracked your skulls.
17. It's all your own fault!You stopped following me,the Lord your God,
18. and you trusted the powerof Egypt and Assyria.
19. Your own sins will punish you,because it was a bitter mistakefor you to reject mewithout fear of punishment.I, the Lord All-Powerful,have spoken.
20. Long ago you left meand broke all ties between us,refusing to be my servant.Now you worship other godsby having sexon hilltops or in the shadeof large trees.
21. You were a choice grapevine,but now you produce nothingbut small, rotten grapes.
22. The Lord said:People of Israel,you are stained with guilt,and no soap or bleachcan wash it away.