Ye have said, It {is} vain to serve God: and what profit {is it} that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts? {ordinance: Heb. observation} {mournfully: Heb. in black}

Thou sayest, (but {they are but} vain words,) {I have} counsel and strength for the war. Now on whom dost thou trust, that thou rebellest against me? {sayest: or, talkest} {vain...: Heb. word of the lips} {I have...: or, but counsel and strength are for the war}

Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely: the LORD our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:

But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us. {take...: or, overtake}

Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? {vain...: Heb. words of wind}

Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. {disobedience: or, unbelief}

And the Egyptians evil entreated us, and afflicted us, and laid upon us hard bondage:

And it came to pass in those days, when Moses was grown, that he went out unto his brethren, and looked on their burdens: and he spied an Egyptian smiting an Hebrew, one of his brethren.