Why do you keep on changing your ways so much? Assyria did not help you. And Egypt will not help you either.

你为何东跑西奔要更换你的路呢？你必因埃及蒙羞，像从前因亚述蒙羞一样。

你为何东奔西跑改变你的道路呢？你必因埃及蒙羞，像从前因亚述蒙羞一样。

你为何东奔西跑改变你的道路呢？你必因埃及蒙羞，像从前因亚述蒙羞一样。

你们为什么这样忽东忽西地变来变去呢？你们投奔埃及必蒙羞辱，就像从前投奔亚述一样。

你为什么要东奔西跑，改变你的路向呢？你必因埃及蒙羞，像你从前因亚述受辱一样。

你為何東跑西奔要更換你的路呢？你必因埃及蒙羞，像從前因亞述蒙羞一樣。

你為何東奔西跑改變你的道路呢？你必因埃及蒙羞，像從前因亞述蒙羞一樣。

你為何東奔西跑改變你的道路呢？你必因埃及蒙羞，像從前因亞述蒙羞一樣。

你們為什麼這樣忽東忽西地變來變去呢？你們投奔埃及必蒙羞辱，就像從前投奔亞述一樣。

你為甚麼要東奔西跑，改變你的路向呢？你必因埃及蒙羞，像你從前因亞述受辱一樣。

你為甚麼這樣東奔西跑，要改變你的路呢？你必因埃及而蒙羞，像你因亞述而蒙羞一樣。

爾何奔馳、改易爾途、昔緣亞述而蒙羞、今於埃及、亦必蒙恥、

爾何肆志遨遊、重蹈故轍、昔爾維亞述是恃、而蒙愧恥、今爾惟埃及是賴、而抱羞慙。

爾何為往來甚速、更易爾途、爾恃伊及必致蒙羞、如昔恃亞述而致蒙羞、

Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria.

How much you go about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.

First here, then there— you flit from one ally to another asking for help. But your new friends in Egypt will let you down, just as Assyria did before.

How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be put to shame by Egypt just as you were put to shame by Assyria.

Why do you go around so much Changing your way? Also, you will be put to shame by Egypt, Just as you were put to shame by Assyria.

Why do you gad about so much to change your way? Also you shall be ashamed of Egypt as you were ashamed of Assyria.

Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be put to shame by Egypt just as you were put to shame by Assyria.

Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.

Why do you constantly go about changing your political allegiances? You will get no help from Egypt just as you got no help from Assyria.

Why do you go about so much to change your ways? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were ashamed of Assyria.

How long will you wander, my people Israel, who are not faithful to me? I will create a new thing on earth. The woman will return to the man.”

“ The people of Ephraim saw how sick they were. The people of Judah saw that they were wounded. Then Ephraim turned to Assyria for help. They sent gifts to the great King Tiglath- Pileser. But he is not able to make you well. He can’t heal your wounds.

The people of Ephraim look to others for help. It’s like chasing the wind. The wind they keep chasing is hot and dry. They tell more and more lies. They are always hurting others. They make a peace treaty with Assyria. They send olive oil to Egypt to get help.

Tiglath- Pileser came to Ahaz. But he gave Ahaz trouble instead of help. Tiglath- Pileser was king of Assyria.Ahaz took some things from the Lord’ s temple. He also took some from the royal palace and from the officials. He gave all of them to the king of Assyria. But that didn’t help Ahaz.

“ You say,‘ I am“ clean.” I haven’t followed the gods that are named Baal.’ How can you say that? Remember how you acted in the valley. Consider what you have done. You are like a female camel running quickly here and there.

At that time King Ahaz sent men to the king of Assyria to get help.

And that’s not all. Our eyes grew tired. We looked for help that never came. We watched from our towers. We kept looking for a nation that couldn’t save us.

The Lord is the God of Israel. He says,“ The king of Judah has sent you to ask me for advice. Tell him,‘ Pharaoh’s army has marched out to help you. But it will go back to its own land. It will return to Egypt.

“ How terrible it will be for these stubborn children of mine!” announces the Lord.“ How terrible for those who carry out plans that did not come from me! Their agreement with Egypt did not come from my Spirit. So they pile up one sin on top of another.They go down to Egypt without asking me for advice. They look to Pharaoh to help them. They ask Egypt to keep them safe.But looking to Pharaoh will only bring them shame. Asking Egypt for help will bring them dishonor.Their officials have gone to the city of Zoan. Their messengers have arrived in Hanes.But the people of Judah will be put to shame. That’s because they are trusting in a nation that is useless to them. Egypt will not bring them any help or advantage. Instead, it will bring them shame and dishonor.”Here is a prophecy the Lord gave me about the animals in the Negev Desert. Judah’s messengers carry their riches on the backs of donkeys. They carry their treasures on the humps of camels. They travel through a land of danger and suffering. It’s a land filled with lions. Poisonous snakes are also there. The messengers travel to a nation that can’t do them any good.They travel to Egypt, whose help is totally useless. That’s why I call it Rahab the Do- Nothing.

The Lord says,“ The people of Ephraim are like a dove. They are easily tricked. They do not have any sense at all. First they call out to Egypt for help. Then they turn to Assyria.

People trusted in Cush to help them. They bragged about what Egypt could do for them. But they will lose heart and be put to shame.

We put ourselves under the control of Egypt and Assyria just to get enough bread.

You are very skilled at chasing after love! Even the worst of women can learn from how you act.

They took hold of you. But you broke under their weight. You tore open their shoulders. The people of Israel leaned on you. But you snapped in two. And their backs were broken.” ’ ”

Assyria can’t save us. We won’t trust in our war horses. Our own hands have made statues of gods. But we will never call them our gods again. We are like children whose fathers have died. But you show us your tender love.”

Why do you go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile River? Why do you go to Assyria to drink from the Euphrates River?

How terrible it will be for those who go down to Egypt for help! How terrible for those who depend on horses! They trust in how many chariots they have. They trust in how strong their horsemen are. But they don’t look to the Holy One of Israel. They don’t ask the Lord for his help.He too is wise. He can bring horrible trouble. He does what he says he’ll do. He’ll rise up against that evil nation. He’ll fight against those who help them.The men of Egypt are only human beings. They aren’t God. Their horses are only flesh and blood. They aren’t spirits. The Lord will reach out his powerful hand to punish everyone. The Egyptians provide help. But they will be tripped up. The people of Judah receive the help. But they will fall down. All of them will be destroyed.

It will be carried off to Assyria. The people of Ephraim will be forced to give it to the great king. They will be dishonored. Israel will be ashamed of its agreements with other nations.