My people seek advice from their wooden idols, and their magic wand expounds to them. For the spirit of harlotry has led them astray, and they have committed adultery against their God.

Jehovah also said to me in the days of Josiah the king, Have you seen that which backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and has committed adultery there.

And I saw, when for all the causes for which backsliding Israel committed adultery, I put her away and gave her a certificate of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she also went and committed adultery.

And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not returned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense, says Jehovah.

Their names: Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister; they were Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem is Oholibah.

who were clothed in purple, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses.

She has never given up her harlotry brought from Egypt, for in her youth they had lain with her, fondled her virgin breasts, and poured out their immorality upon her.

Ephraim circles around Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit; but Judah still walks with God and is faithful with the saints.

Therefore Jehovah was very angry with Israel, and removed them away from before His face; there was no one left but only the tribe of Judah.

Also Judah did not keep the commandments of Jehovah their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they had made.

And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah has not returned to Me with her whole heart, but in pretense, says Jehovah.

And Jehovah said to me, Backsliding Israel has shown herself to be more righteous than treacherous Judah.

And that servant who knew his master's will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.

But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.

And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

All their wickedness is in Gilgal, for there I hated them. I will drive them out of My house because of the wickedness of their doings, I will love them no more; all their rulers are rebellious.

Is Gilead evil? Surely they are vanity. They sacrificed bulls in Gilgal; yea, their altars are as heaps in the furrows of the field.

Come to Bethel and transgress; multiply transgression at Gilgal; and bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every third year;

But do not seek Bethel, and do not enter Gilgal, and do not cross over to Beer-sheba; for Gilgal shall be exiled into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nothing.

Blow the shofar in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah. Cry aloud at Beth-aven; after you, O Benjamin.

The inhabitants of Samaria shall dread because of the calves of Beth-aven. For its people shall mourn over it; also its priests shall tremble over it, over its glory, because it has departed from it.

Also, the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed. The thorn and the thistle shall grow up over their altars. And they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us!

Therefore the king took counsel, made two calves of gold, and said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!

And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

Hear this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and have come forth out of the waters of Judah; who swear by the name of Jehovah and make mention of the God of Israel (but not in truth nor in righteousness;

And though they say, As Jehovah lives; surely they swear falsely.

As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord Jehovah: Go, serve every one of you his idols, even hereafter, if you will not obey me. But profane My holy name no more with your gifts and your idols.

And when a man's uncle shall take him away, and he who burns the bodies, to bring out the bones from the house; and he shall say to the one left in the recesses of the house, Are there any still with you? And he shall say, No. Then he shall say, Keep quiet! For we must not mention the name of Jehovah.

They who swear by the sin of Samaria, and say, As your god lives, O Dan! and, As the way of Beer-sheba lives! even they shall fall, and never rise again.

and those who bow down to the host of the heavens on the housetops; and those who bow, swearing to Jehovah, but also swearing by Melech,

and those drawing back from following Jehovah, and who have not sought Jehovah, nor inquired of Him.