But the more I called out to Israel, the more they went away from me. They brought sacrifices to the statues of the gods that were named Baal. And they burned incense to them.

先知越发招呼他们，他们越发走开，向诸巴力献祭，给雕刻的偶像烧香。

先知越是呼唤他们，他们越是远离，向诸巴力献祭，为雕刻的偶像烧香。

先知越是呼唤他们，他们越是远离，向诸巴力献祭，为雕刻的偶像烧香。

可是，我越召唤他们，他们就跑得越远，给巴力献祭，向偶像烧香。

可是我越发呼唤他们，他们越发走开；他们给巴力献祭，向偶像烧香。

先知越發招呼他們，他們越發走開，向諸巴力獻祭，給雕刻的偶像燒香。

先知越是呼喚他們，他們越是遠離，向諸巴力獻祭，為雕刻的偶像燒香。

先知越是呼喚他們，他們越是遠離，向諸巴力獻祭，為雕刻的偶像燒香。

可是，我越召喚他們，他們就跑得越遠，給巴力獻祭，向偶像燒香。

可是我越發呼喚他們，他們越發走開；他們給巴力獻祭，向偶像燒香。

但我越發呼叫他們，他們越發離開了我，去向諸巴力獻祭，給眾雕像燻祭品。

先知召之愈殷、彼則離之愈遠、獻祭於巴力、焚香於雕像、

迄今召之愈殷、背之愈甚、獻祭於巴力、焚香於偶像、

今先知愈召之、彼愈遠避、獻祭於巴力、焚香於偶像、

But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.

The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.

But the more I called to him, the farther he moved from me, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols.

Israel called to the Egyptians even as Israel was leaving them. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.

The more they called them, The more they went away from them; They kept sacrificing to the Baals And burning incense to idols.

As they called them, So they went from them; They sacrificed to the Baals, And burned incense to carved images.

The more the prophets called them, the more they went from them: they sacrificed unto the Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

The more they called them, the more they departed from Me. They kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.

[ As] they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.

But the more I summoned them, the farther they departed from me. They sacrificed to the Baal idols and burned incense to images.

They called to them, so they went from them. They sacrificed to the Baals, and burned incense to engraved images.

Israel burned incense to the gods that were named Baal. I will punish her for all the times she did that. She decorated herself with rings and jewelry. Then she went after her lovers. But she forgot all about me,” declares the Lord.

But my people have forgotten me. They burn incense to worthless gods. Their gods made them trip and fall as they walked on the old paths. They made them use side roads instead of roads that were built up.

I will punish them for their sins. I will also punish them for the sins of their people before them.” This is what the Lord says.“ They burned sacrifices on the mountains. They disobeyed me by worshiping other gods on the hills. So I will make sure they are fully punished for all the sins they have committed.”

When the tribe of Ephraim spoke, the other tribes trembled with fear. Ephraim was honored in Israel. But its people sinned by worshiping Baal. So they were as good as dead.Now they sin more and more. They use their silver to make statues of gods for themselves. The statues come from their own clever ideas. Skilled workers make all of them. The people pray to these gods. They offer human sacrifices to them. They kiss the gods that look like calves.

My people have made up their minds to turn away from me. Even if they call me the Most High God, I will certainly not honor them.”

“ The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says,‘ Go. Speak to the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Tell them,“ Won’t you ever learn a lesson? Won’t you ever obey my words?” announces the Lord.

For many years you put up with them. By your Spirit you warned them through your prophets. In spite of that, they didn’t pay any attention. So you handed them over to the nations that were around them.

All the Jews who were living in Lower and Upper Egypt gathered to give Jeremiah their answer. A large crowd had come together. It included men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods. Their wives were there with them. All of them said to Jeremiah,“ We won’t listen to the message you have spoken to us in the Lord’ s name!We will certainly do everything we said we would. We’ll burn incense to the female god called the Queen of Heaven. We’ll pour out drink offerings to her. We’ll do just as we and our people of long ago have done. Our kings and our officials also did it. All of us did it in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food. We were well off. We didn’t suffer any harm.

That’s because these people of Judah refuse to obey me. They are children who tell lies. They will not listen to what I want to teach them.They say to the seers,‘ Don’t see any more visions!’ They say to the prophets,‘ Don’t give us any more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things. Prophesy things we want to hear even if they aren’t true.Get out of our way! Get off our path! Keep the Holy One of Israel away from us!’ ”

Now send for people from all over Israel. Tell them to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the 450 prophets of the god named Baal. Also bring the 400 prophets of the female god named Asherah. All of them eat at Jezebel’s table.”

The Lord told him,“ Listen to everything the people are saying to you. You are not the one they have turned their backs on. I am the one they do not want as their king.They are doing just as they have always done. They have deserted me and served other gods. They have done that from the time I brought them up out of Egypt until this day. Now they are deserting you too.Let them have what they want. But give them a strong warning. Let them know what the king who rules over them will expect to be done for him.”

The Lord, the God of Israel, sent word to his people through his messengers. He sent it to them again and again. He took pity on his people. He also took pity on the temple where he lived.But God’s people made fun of his messengers. They hated his words. They laughed at his prophets. Finally the Lord’ s great anger was stirred up against his people. Nothing could save them.

“ Jerusalem! Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and throw stones in order to kill those who are sent to you. Many times I have wanted to gather your people together. I have wanted to be like a hen who gathers her chicks under her wings. And you would not let me.

Moses sent for all the Israelites. Here is what he said to them. With your own eyes you have seen everything the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh. You have seen what he did to all Pharaoh’s officials and to his whole land.With your own eyes you saw how the Lord really made them suffer. You saw the signs and amazing things he did.But to this day the Lord hasn’t given you a mind that understands. He hasn’t given you eyes that see. He hasn’t given you ears that hear.

The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers. He said,“ Turn from your evil ways. Keep my commands and rules. Obey every part of my Law. I commanded your people who lived long ago to obey it. And I gave it to you through my servants the prophets.”But the people wouldn’t listen. They were as stubborn as their people of long ago had been. Those people didn’t trust in the Lord their God.They refused to obey his rules. They broke the covenant he had made with them. They didn’t pay any attention to the rules he had warned them to keep. They worshiped worthless statues of gods. Then they themselves became worthless. They followed the example of the nations around them. They did it even though the Lord had ordered them not to. He had said,“ Do not do as they do.”They turned away from all the commands of the Lord their God. They made two statues of gods for themselves. The statues were shaped like calves. They made a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. They bowed down to all the stars. And they worshiped the god named Baal.

Once again the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They served gods that were named Baal. They served female gods that were named Ashtoreth. They worshiped the gods of Aram and Sidon. They served the gods of Moab and Ammon. They also worshiped the gods of the Philistines. The Israelites deserted the Lord. They didn’t serve him anymore.

He thought it was only a small thing to commit the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Ahab also married Jezebel. She was Ethbaal’s daughter. Ethbaal was king of the people of Sidon. Ahab began to serve the god named Baal and worship him.He set up an altar to honor Baal. He set it up in the temple of Baal that he built in Samaria.

“ You stubborn people! You won’t obey! You won’t listen! You are just like your people of long ago! You always oppose the Holy Spirit!

But they refused to pay attention to the Lord. They were stubborn. They turned their backs and covered their ears.

Here is the judgment. Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light. They loved darkness because what they did was evil.

He offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel. It was on the 15th day of the eighth month. That’s the month he had chosen for it. So he established the feast for the Israelites. And he went up to the altar to sacrifice offerings.

“ Do not be like your people of long ago. The earlier prophets gave them my message. I said,‘ Stop doing what is evil. Turn away from your sinful practices.’ But they would not listen to me. They would not pay any attention,” announces the Lord.

because they deserted him. They served Baal. They also served female gods that were named Ashtoreth.

God considers us to be the pleasing smell that Christ is spreading. He is spreading it among people who are being saved and people who are dying.To those who are dying, we are the smell of death. To those who are being saved, we are the perfume of life. Who is able to do this work?

The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. They forgot the Lord their God. They served gods that were named Baal. They also served female gods that were named Asherah.