5What then will you do on festival days?
How will you observe the Lord’s festivals?
6Even if you escape destruction from Assyria,
Egypt will conquer you, and Memphis will bury you.
Nettles will take over your treasures of silver;
thistles will invade your ruined homes.
7The time of Israel’s punishment has come;
the day of payment is here.
Soon Israel will know this all too well.
Because of your great sin and hostility,
you say, “The prophets are crazy
and the inspired men are fools!”
8The prophet is a watchman over Israel for my God,
yet traps are laid for him wherever he goes.
He faces hostility even in the house of God.
9The things my people do are as depraved
as what they did in Gibeah long ago.
God will not forget.
He will surely punish them for their sins.
10The Lord says, “O Israel, when I first found you,
it was like finding fresh grapes in the desert.
When I saw your ancestors,
it was like seeing the first ripe figs of the season.
But then they deserted me for Baal-peor,
giving themselves to that shameful idol.
Soon they became vile,
as vile as the god they worshiped.
11The glory of Israel will fly away like a bird,
for your children will not be born
or grow in the womb
or even be conceived.
12Even if you do have children who grow up,
I will take them from you.
It will be a terrible day when I turn away
and leave you alone.
13I have watched Israel become as beautiful as Tyre.
But now Israel will bring out her children for slaughter.”
14O Lord, what should I request for your people?
I will ask for wombs that don’t give birth
and breasts that give no milk.
15The Lord says, “All their wickedness began at Gilgal;
there I began to hate them.
I will drive them from my land
because of their evil actions.
I will love them no more
because all their leaders are rebels.
16The people of Israel are struck down.
Their roots are dried up,
and they will bear no more fruit.
And if they give birth,
I will slaughter their beloved children.”
17My God will reject the people of Israel
because they will not listen or obey.
They will be wanderers,
homeless among the nations.
