Nor did they say, Where is Jehovah who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of dry places, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man lived?

The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their own power; and my people love to have it so, and what will you do in the end?

Therefore I will give their wives to others, and their fields to those who shall inherit them, for everyone from the least even to the greatest profits from unjust gain. From the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.

For they have healed the ruin of the daughter of My people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

My heart within me is broken because of the prophets; all my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of Jehovah, and because of the Words of His holiness.

For both prophet and priest are corrupt; yes, in My house I have found their evil, says Jehovah.

And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal and caused My people Israel to go astray.

Therefore thus says Jehovah of Hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them wormwood, and make them drink bitter water; for godlessness has gone forth from the prophets of Jerusalem into all the land.

Now the sons of Eli were sons of wickedness; they did not know Jehovah.

But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink have gone astray. The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink; they are swallowed up by wine; they have gone astray through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.

For Jehovah has poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes; He has covered the prophets and your heads, the seers.

All you beasts of the field, come to devour, all you beasts in the forest.

Yea, they are greedy dogs which never have enough. And they are shepherds who cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his own gain, to his own end.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest to Me. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your sons.

How can you say, We are wise, and the Law of Jehovah is with us? Lo, certainly the lying pen of the scribes has written falsehood.

The wise are ashamed, they are dismayed, and are captured. Lo, they have rejected the Word of Jehovah; so what wisdom is in them?

They shall teach Jacob Your judgments, and Israel Your Law. They shall put incense before Your nose, and a whole burnt offering upon Your altar.

The Law of Truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found on his lips. In peace and in uprightness he walked with Me, and he turned many away from iniquity.

But you have turned aside out of the way; you have caused many to stumble at the Law. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says Jehovah of Hosts.

Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.

Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His Word.

And these things they will do to you because they do not know the Father nor Me.

Behold, you are called a Jew, and rest on the Law, and make your boast in God,

and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal?

You who make your boast in the Law, do you dishonor God through transgressing the Law?

But we have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the Word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience before God.

For the shepherds have become stupid, and have not sought Jehovah, therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

Many shepherds have destroyed My vineyard; they have trampled My portion under foot; they have made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture! says Jehovah.

Therefore thus says Jehovah the God of Israel, against the shepherds who feed My people, You have scattered My flock, and have driven them away, and have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings, says Jehovah.

And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria; they prophesied by Baal and caused My people Israel to go astray.

And when midday was past, they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice. But there was no voice; no one answered, no one paid attention.

Then Elijah said to the people, I alone am left a prophet of Jehovah; but Baal's prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

And Elijah said to them, Seize the prophets of Baal! Do not let one of them escape! So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

Has a nation changed their gods, which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory for that which does not profit.

Behold, you trust in lying words that are of no benefit.

And do not turn aside to go after vanities which cannot profit nor deliver, for they are nothing.

They were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit them, nor be a help nor gain, but a shame and also a reproach.

What does an image profit, that its maker should carve it; a molten image, and a teacher of falsehood, that the maker should trust in his work, to make mute idols?

For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?