How we cite our quotes: (Book:Verse)
Quote #1
If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him and becomes another man's wife, will he return to her? Would not such a land be greatly polluted? You have played the whore with many lovers; and would you return to me? says the Lord (NRSV 3:1).
They say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, shall he return unto her again? shall not that land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to me, saith the Lord (KJV 3:1).
God poses this rhetorical question to his people, suggesting that even if they did try to return to him, he would still reject them. They need punishment first. (The message is a little like Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats.") God knew that the experience of being cheated on or abandoned by someone you love was one people would relate to, even though the harlot analogy is a bit extreme.
Quote #2
As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble. What right has my beloved in my house, when she has done vile deeds? Can vows and sacrificial flesh avert your doom? Can you then exult? The Lord once called you, 'A green olive tree, fair with goodly fruit'; but with the roar of a great tempest he will set fire to it, and its branches will be consumed (NRSV 11:14-16).
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble. What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest. The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken (KJV 11:14-16).
God's so mad at Judah, he's about to commit some serious arson. Judah used to be a nice, pleasant olive tree. But now it's the kind you just gotta torch. The destruction sounds like it's going to be more permanent than it really is, however. God doesn't want to tip his hand just yet—he needs to make his point first.
Quote #3
But my people have forgotten me, they burn offerings to a delusion; they have stumbled in their ways, in the ancient roads, and have gone into bypaths, not the highway, making their land a horror, a thing to be hissed at forever. All who pass by it are horrified and shake their heads. Like the wind from the east, I will scatter them before the enemy. I will show them my back, not my face, in the day of their calamity (NRSV 18:15-17).
Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; to make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity (KJV 18:15-17).
It's a two-way street here. God says that the people have forgotten him, so why should he pay attention to them? He turns his back on them. It's been suggested by scholars that all the hissing was a superstitious thing that passers-by did when they saw something horrible. It was a way to keep the disaster away from themselves. Kind of like garlic and vampires.