And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;

And the LORD God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes, and sending; because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place: {by: Heb. by the hand of} {betimes: that is, continually and carefully}

And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.

Wherefore, when I came, {was there} no man? when I called, {was there} none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because {there is} no water, and dieth for thirst.

But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. {pulled...: Heb. they gave a backsliding shoulder} {stopped: Heb. made heavy}

For I beheld, and {there was} no man; even among them, and {there was} no counsellor, that, when I asked of them, could answer a word. {answer: Heb. return}

Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

For mine eyes {are} upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.

Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war. {mighty: Heb. might}

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand {is} stretched out still.

Or {if} I bring a sword upon that land, and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off man and beast from it:

A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick; {upon...: Heb. upon bricks}

And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall avenge the quarrel of {my} covenant: and when ye are gathered together within your cities, I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.

{Should ye} not {hear} the words which the LORD hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, and the cities thereof round about her, when {men} inhabited the south and the plain? {Should...: or, Are not these the words} {by: Heb. by the hand of}

In that day the LORD with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that {is} in the sea. {piercing: or, crossing like a bar}

I will also stretch out mine hand upon Judah, and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place, {and} the name of the Chemarims with the priests;

Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth. {to be...: Heb. for a removing}

The sword without, and terror within, shall destroy both the young man and the virgin, the suckling {also} with the man of gray hairs. {within: Heb. from the chambers} {destroy: Heb. bereave}

Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and {my} fatlings {are} killed, and all things {are} ready: come unto the marriage.

He that killeth an ox {is as if} he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, {as if} he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, {as if he offered} swine's blood; he that burneth incense, {as if} he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. {lamb: or, kid} {burneth: Heb. maketh a memorial of}

Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their {blood} by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and {be} widows; and let their men be put to death; {let} their young men {be} slain by the sword in battle. {pour...: Heb. pour them out}

Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;

Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;

I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose {that} in which I delighted not. {delusions: or, devices}

But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken {it}.

And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;

Wherefore, when I came, {was there} no man? when I called, {was there} none to answer? Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem? or have I no power to deliver? behold, at my rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness: their fish stinketh, because {there is} no water, and dieth for thirst.

For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

He that killeth an ox {is as if} he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, {as if} he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, {as if he offered} swine's blood; he that burneth incense, {as if} he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations. {lamb: or, kid} {burneth: Heb. maketh a memorial of}

Therefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evil that I have pronounced against them: because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered.

And it shall come to pass, {that} in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off {and} die; but the third shall be left therein.

And when ye see {this}, your heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: and the hand of the LORD shall be known toward his servants, and {his} indignation toward his enemies.

Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.

For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

{Is} it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?

And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen, such as they have not heard.

For {in} those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.

And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name: