Ver. 23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart They are not so obedient as the sea and its waves; nor so firm and stable as the sand that is set for the bound of it. This is a reproof and an aggravation of the revoltings and rebellions of this people: they are revolted and gone; they had departed from the ways of the Lord, and were gone back from his worship, as the Targum; and were gone into evil ways, and to a false worship; they not only had revolted, but they went on, they continued therein, and went further and further, off from God and his worship.
21
Hear this message, you foolish people who have no sense. They have eyes, but they don't really see. They have ears, but they don't really listen.
22
Surely you are afraid of me," says the Lord. "You should shake with fear in my presence. I am the one who made the beaches to be a border for the sea, a border the water can never go past. The waves may pound the beach, but they can't win over it. They may roar, but they cannot go beyond it.
23
But the people of Judah are stubborn and have turned against me. They have turned aside and gone away from me.
24
They do not say to themselves, 'We should fear the Lord our God, who gives us autumn and spring rains in their seasons, who makes sure we have the harvest at the right time.'
25
But your evil has kept away both rain and harvest. Your sins have kept you from enjoying good things.