¹ The word of the Lord came to me: ² “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: “This is what the Lord says: “‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. ³ Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,`” declares the Lord. <sup>4</sup> Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel. <sup>5</sup> This is what the Lord says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. <sup>6</sup> They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?` ⁷ I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable. ⁸ The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?` Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.