I took the sinful calf you had made, burned it up, and crushed it, thoroughly grinding it to powder as [fine as] dust. Then I threw it into the stream that came down from the mountain.

For I know how rebellious and stiff-necked you are. If you are rebelling against the LORD now, while I am still alive, how much more [will you rebel] after I am dead!

For I know that after my death you will become completely corrupt and turn from the path I have commanded you. Disaster will come to you in the future, because you will do what is evil in the LORD's sight, infuriating Him with what your hands have made."

The Israelites did what was evil in the LORD's sight. They worshiped the Baals

for they abandoned Him and worshiped Baal and the Ashtoreths.

They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them,

They served their idols, which became a snare to them.

They shed innocent blood-- the blood of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan; so the land became polluted with blood.

Therefore the LORD's anger burned against His people, and He abhorred His own inheritance.

"But you were confident in your beauty and acted like a prostitute because of your fame. You lavished your sexual favors on everyone who passed by. Your beauty became his.

You also took your beautiful jewelry made from the gold and silver I had given you, and you made male images so that you could engage in prostitution with them.

You also set before them as a pleasing aroma the food I gave you-- the fine flour, oil, and honey that I fed you. That is what happened." [This is] the declaration of the Lord God.

You slaughtered My children and gave them up when you passed them through [the fire] to the images.

"Will you pass judgment against them, will you pass judgment, son of man? Explain to them the abominations of their fathers.

"But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not follow My statutes and they rejected My ordinances-- the person who does them will live by them. They also completely profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them in the wilderness to put an end to them.

"But the children rebelled against Me. They did not follow My statutes or carefully keep My ordinances-- the person who does them will live by them. They also profaned My Sabbaths. So I considered pouring out My wrath on them and exhausting My anger against them in the wilderness.

"Therefore say to the house of Israel: This is what the Lord God says: Are you defiling yourselves the way your fathers did, and prostituting yourselves with their detestable things?

who acted like prostitutes in Egypt, behaving promiscuously in their youth. Their breasts were fondled there, and their virgin nipples caressed.

She didn't give up her promiscuity that began in Egypt, when men slept with her in her youth, caressed her virgin nipples, and poured out their lust on her.

They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and killed her with the sword. Since they executed judgment against her, she became notorious among women.

She lusted after the Assyrians: governors and prefects, warriors splendidly dressed, horsemen riding on steeds, all of them desirable young men.

But she increased her promiscuity when she saw male figures carved on the wall, images of the Chaldeans, engraved in vermilion,

At the sight of them she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.

When she flaunted her promiscuity and exposed her nakedness, I turned away from her in disgust just as I turned away from her sister.

and lusted after their lovers, whose sexual members were like those of donkeys and whose emission was like that of stallions.

we have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from Your commandments and ordinances.

Lord, righteousness belongs to You, but this day public shame belongs to us: the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and all Israel-- those who are near and those who are far, in all the countries where You have dispersed them because of the disloyalty they have shown toward You.

Compassion and forgiveness belong to the Lord our God, though we have rebelled against Him

All Israel has broken Your law and turned away, refusing to obey You. The promised cursewritten in the law of Moses, the servant of God, has been poured out on us because we have sinned against Him.