The Israelis sinned in spite of God’s care for them

2 Yahweh gave me another message

2 to proclaim to everyone in Jerusalem. He said that I should tell them this [MET]:

“I, Yahweh, remember that you very much wanted to please me long ago.

You tried to please me like a bride tries to please her husband;

You loved me,

and you followed me through the desert [DOU].

3 At that time you Israelis ◄were set apart/belonged only► to me;

you belonged to me like the first part of the harvests belong to me [MET].

I promised to punish all those who harmed you, my people,

and truly I did send disasters on them.

That happened because I, Yahweh, said that it would happen.”

4 So, you descendants of [MTY] Jacob, all you people of [MTY] Israel,

5 listen to what Yahweh says:

“◄What sin did I commit [RHQ] that caused your ancestors to turn far away from me?/Though your ancestors found no fault in me, they turned far away from me.►

They worshiped worthless idols,

and they themselves became worthless.

6 They did not say, ‘Yahweh brought us safely out of Egypt,

and he led us through a desert

where there were a lot of pits;

he led us where there was no water and where it was very dangerous,

through a land where no one lives, and no one even travels.

◄So where is Yahweh now?/So he should be helping us now!► [RHQ]’

7 And when I brought you into a very fertile land,

in order that you could enjoy all the fruit and other good things that you would harvest,

you caused the land that I promised to give to you to be unfit for me

and to become disgusting/detestable to me.

8 Your priests also did not say,

‘◄Where is Yahweh now?/Yahweh should be helping us now!►’ [RHQ]

Those who teach/explain my laws do not want to know me,

and your leaders have rebelled against me.

Your prophets gave you messages from their god Baal,

and they worship worthless idols.”