And My people are bent on backsliding from Me. Though they call to the Most High, no one at all exalts Him.

I regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not carried out My words. And it angered Samuel, and he cried out to Jehovah all night.

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

Therefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, and a wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; a leopard shall watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many and their backslidings are increased.

But they did not listen, nor extend their ear, but walked in their own plans, in the stubbornness of their evil heart, and went backward and not forward.

Why has this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a continual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit; they refuse to return.

O Jehovah, though our iniquities testify against us, work for Your name's sake; for our backslidings are many; we have sinned against You.

But they refused to heed, and gave a stubborn shoulder, and they made their ears heavy that they might not hear.

I will scatter you among the nations and draw out a sword after you; your land shall be desolate and your cities waste.

And it shall be in that day that a man shall keep alive a young cow and two sheep;

And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place where there were a thousand vines, worth a thousand pieces of silver, it shall even be for briers and thorns.

And all hills which were hoed with the hoe, you shall not come there for fear of briers and thorns; but it shall be a place to turn the ox loose, and for sheep to trample.

He will wind up and whirl you like a ball into a large land; there you shall die, and there the chariots of your glory shall be the shame of your master's house.