14. Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he become a prey?
15. The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled: and they have made his land waste; his cities are burned up, without inhabitant.
16. The children also of Noph and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of thy head.
17. Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way?
18. And now what hast thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of Shihor? or what hast thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
19. Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, the LORD of hosts.
20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou didst bow thyself, playing the harlot.
21. Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?
22. For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord GOD.
23. How canst thou say, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
24. a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.