27. You say to a piece of wood, 'You are my father.' You say to a stone, 'You are my mother.' You have turned your backs to me. You refuse to look at me. But when you are in trouble, you say, 'Come and save us!'
28. So where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come when you are in trouble! Let them save you if they can! Judah , you have as many gods as you have towns.
29. "Why do you bring charges against me? All of you have refused to obey me," announces the Lord.
30. "I punished your people. But it did not do them any good. They did not pay attention when they were corrected. You have killed your prophets with swords. You have swallowed them up like a hungry lion.
31. "You who are now living, consider my message. I am saying, "Have I been like a desert to Israel? Have I been like a land of deep darkness? Why do my people say, 'We are free to wander. We won't come to you anymore'?
32. Does a young woman forget all about her jewelry? Does a bride forget her wedding jewels? But my people have forgotten me more days than anyone can count.
33. You are very skilled at chasing after love! Even the worst of women can learn from how you act.
34. The blood of those you have killed is on your clothes. You have destroyed poor people who were not guilty. You did not catch them in the act of breaking in. In spite of all of that,
35. you say, 'I'm not guilty of doing anything wrong. The Lord isn't angry with me.' But I will judge you. That is because you say, 'I haven't sinned.'
36. Why do you keep on changing your ways so much? Assyria did not help you. And Egypt will not help you either.