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.^(A) They pour out drink offerings^(B) to other gods to arouse^(C) my anger.

¹⁹ But am I the one they are provoking?^(A) declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?^(B)

⁹ He answered me, “The sin of the people of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city is full of injustice.^(A) They say, ‘The Lord has forsaken the land; the Lord does not see.’^(B)

²⁶ You engaged in prostitution^(A) with the Egyptians,^(B) your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger^(C) with your increasing promiscuity.^(D)