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B

56 But they tested and rebelled against God Most High,
    his decrees they did not observe.
57 They turned disloyal, faithless like their ancestors;
    they proved false like a slack bow.

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56 But they put God to the test
    and rebelled against the Most High;
    they did not keep his statutes.
57 Like their ancestors(A) they were disloyal and faithless,
    as unreliable as a faulty bow.(B)

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II

13 But they soon forgot all he had done;
    they had no patience for his plan.
14 In the desert they gave in to their cravings,
    tempted God in the wasteland.(A)

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13 But they soon forgot(A) what he had done
    and did not wait for his plan to unfold.(B)
14 In the desert(C) they gave in to their craving;
    in the wilderness(D) they put God to the test.(E)

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Abuses in Worship. 16 You, now, must not intercede for this people! Do not raise a cry or prayer in their behalf!(A) Do not press me, for I will not listen to you! 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, their fathers light the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven,[a] while libations are poured out to other gods—all to offend me!(B) 19 Are they really offending me—oracle of the Lord—or rather themselves, to their own disgrace?(C) 20 Therefore, thus says the Lord God: my anger and my wrath will pour out upon this place, upon human being and beast, upon the trees of the field and the fruits of the earth; it will burn and not be quenched.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 7:18 Queen of Heaven: probably Astarte, goddess of fertility (cf. 1 Sm 31:10; 1 Kgs 11:5), worshiped particularly by women (cf. Jer 44:15–19). Such worship was evidently reinforced during the reign of King Manasseh (2 Kgs 21:3–7) and was revived after Josiah’s death.

16 “So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea(A) or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen(B) to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven.(C) They pour out drink offerings(D) to other gods to arouse(E) my anger. 19 But am I the one they are provoking?(F) declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?(G)

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign(H) Lord says: My anger(I) and my wrath will be poured(J) out on this place—on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the crops of your land—and it will burn and not be quenched.(K)

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