³ and has gone to serve other gods^(A) by bowing in worship to the sun, moon, or all the stars in the sky^(B)—which I have forbidden^(C)—

²⁶ They began to serve other gods, bowing in worship to gods they had not known^(A)—gods that the Lord had not permitted them to worship.^(B)

¹⁷ But if your heart turns away and you do not listen and you are led astray to bow in worship to other gods and serve them,

¹⁶ If you break the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods, and bow in worship to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly disappear from this good land he has given you.”

¹⁷ but they did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted^(A) themselves with other gods, bowing down to them. They quickly turned from the way^(B) of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands. They did not do as their ancestors did.

¹⁹ However, if you turn away and abandon my statutes and my commands that I have set before you and if you go and serve other gods and bow in worship to them,^(A)

²² Then they will say, “Because they abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors who brought them out of the land of Egypt. They clung to other gods and bowed in worship to them and served them. Because of this, he brought all this ruin on them.”