¹⁸ “But I said to their children in the wilderness, ‘Do not walk in the statutes of your fathers, nor observe their judgments, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

¹⁸ knowing that you were not redeemed with ^[a]corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,

² “The Lord has been very angry with your fathers. ³ Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return ^(A)to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts. ⁴ “Do not be like your fathers, ^(B)to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: ^(C)“Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.” ’ But they did not hear nor heed Me,” says the Lord.

⁷ Then I said to them, ‘Each of you, ^(A)throw away ^(B)the abominations which are before his eyes, and do not defile yourselves with ^(C)the idols of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’

³ Your eyes have seen what the Lord did at ^(A)Baal Peor; for the Lord your God has destroyed from among you all the men who followed Baal of Peor. ⁴ But you who held fast to the Lord your God are alive today, every one of you.

⁵ “Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. ⁶ Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is ^(B)your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’

Israel Resists the Holy Spirit

⁵¹ “You ^(A)stiff-necked^[a] and ^(B)uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

^47 (A)Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. ⁴⁸ In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs.

⁹ So it came to pass, through her casual harlotry, that she ^(A)defiled the land and committed adultery with ^(B)stones and trees.