and say, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

As for my food that I gave you &#8211; the fine flour, olive oil, and honey I fed you &#8211; you placed it before them as a soothing aroma. That is exactly what happened, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;How sick is your heart, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, when you perform all of these acts, the deeds of a bold prostitute.

As surely as I live, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;For this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: As surely as I live, I will certainly repay him<n id="1" /> for despising my oath and breaking my covenant!

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;As surely as I live, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" /> you will not quote this proverb in Israel anymore!

and follows my statutes and observes my regulations by carrying them out.<n id="1" /> That man<n id="2" /> is righteous; he will certainly live,<n id="3" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore say to the house of Israel, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers<n id="1" /> and engage in prostitution with detestable idols?

As surely as I live, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, with a powerful hand and an outstretched arm,<n id="1" /> and with an outpouring of rage, I will be king over you.

Just as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.

Then you will know that I am the <sc>Lordsc>, when I deal with you for the sake of my reputation and not according to your wicked conduct and corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Then I said, &#8220;O sovereign <sc>Lordsc>! They are saying of me, &#8216;Does he not simply speak in eloquent figures of speech?&#8217;&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;For testing will come, and what will happen when the scepter, which the sword despises, is no more?<n id="1" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;p>

Then say, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: O city, who spills blood within herself (which brings on her doom),<n id="1" /> and who makes herself idols (which results in impurity),

They take bribes within you to shed blood. You engage in usury and charge interest;<n id="1" /> you extort money from your neighbors. You have forgotten me,<n id="2" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="3" />p>

Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8216;Because all of you<n id="1" /> have become slag, look out! &#8211; I am about to gather you in the middle of Jerusalem.<n id="2" />

Her prophets coat their messages with whitewash.<n id="1" /> They see false visions and announce lying omens for them, saying, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says,&#8217; when the <sc>Lordsc> has not spoken.

&#8220;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8220;You will drink your sister&#8217;s deep and wide cup;<n id="1" /> you will be scorned and derided, for it holds a great deal.

You will drain it dry,<n id="1" /> gnaw its pieces,<n id="2" /> and tear out your breasts,<n id="3" /> for I have spoken, declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>