Backsliders

General scriptures concerning

• Leviticus 26:14–42

  But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: I also will do this unto you; I will even appoint over you terror, consumption, and the burning ague, that shall consume the eyes, and cause sorrow of heart: and ye shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. …

• Deuteronomy 4:9

  Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons' sons;

• Deuteronomy 8:11–14

  Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; …

• Deuteronomy 28:15–68

  But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. …

• Deuteronomy 29:18–28

  Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. …

• Deuteronomy 32:15–30

  But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger. They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. …

• Joshua 24:20–27

  If ye forsake the LORD, and serve strange gods, then he will turn and do you hurt, and consume you, after that he hath done you good. And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the LORD. And Joshua said unto the people, Ye are witnesses against yourselves that ye have chosen you the LORD, to serve him. And they said, We are witnesses. …

• 1 Kings 9:6–9

  But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people: And at this house, which is high, every one that passeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss; and they shall say, Why hath the LORD done thus unto this land, and to this house? …

• 2 Chronicles 15:2–4

  And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. Now for a long season Israel hath been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law. But when they in their trouble did turn unto the LORD God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.

• Ezra 8:22

  For I was ashamed to require of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king, saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all them that forsake him.

• Job 34:26

  He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;

• Job 34:27

  Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:

• Psalms 44:20

  If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

• Psalms 44:21

  Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

• Psalms 73:27

  For, lo, they that are far from thee shall perish: thou hast destroyed all them that go a whoring from thee.

• Psalms 85:8

  I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.

• Psalms 125:5

  As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.

• Proverbs 2:17

  Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

• Proverbs 14:14

  The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

• Proverbs 24:16

  For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.

• Proverbs 26:11

  As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.

• Jeremiah 17:13

  O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.

• Ezekiel 3:20

  Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.

• Ezekiel 18:24

  But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

• Ezekiel 18:26

  When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

• Ezekiel 23:35

  Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.

• Ezekiel 33:12

  Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.

• Ezekiel 33:13

  When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.

• Ezekiel 33:18

  When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

• Hosea 11:7

  And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.

• Hosea 11:8

  How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.

• Jonah 2:4

  Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

• Matthew 5:13

  Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

• Matthew 12:45

  Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

• Matthew 24:12

  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

• Matthew 26:31

  Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

• Mark 4:7

  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit.

• Mark 4:15–19

  And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts. And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended. …

• Mark 8:38

  Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

• Mark 9:50

  Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another.

• Luke 9:62

  And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

• Luke 11:21–26

  When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth. …

• Luke 17:32

  Remember Lot's wife.

• John 6:67

  Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

• John 15:6

  If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.

• 1 Corinthians 10:1–13

  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; …

• 2 Corinthians 12:20

  For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults:

• 2 Corinthians 12:21

  And lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and that I shall bewail many which have sinned already, and have not repented of the uncleanness and fornication and lasciviousness which they have committed.

• Galatians 1:6

  I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

• Galatians 1:7

  Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

• Galatians 3:1

  O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?

• Galatians 4:9

  But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?

• Galatians 4:11

  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

• Galatians 5:7

  Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?

• 1 Timothy 1:19

  Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:

• 1 Timothy 5:15

  For some are already turned aside after Satan.

• 1 Timothy 6:10

  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

• 1 Timothy 6:20

  O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called:

• 1 Timothy 6:21

  Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen. The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea, which is the chiefest city of Phrygia Pacatiana.

• 2 Timothy 1:8

  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

• 2 Timothy 2:12

  If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

• 2 Timothy 4:10

  For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.

• Hebrews 3:12

  Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.

• Hebrews 3:13

  But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

• Hebrews 4:1

  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it.

• Hebrews 4:11

  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

• Hebrews 5:11

  Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

• Hebrews 5:12

  For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

• Hebrews 6:4–8

  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. …

• Hebrews 10:26–29

  For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: …

• Hebrews 10:38

  Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

• Hebrews 10:39

  But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.

• Hebrews 11:14

  For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

• Hebrews 11:15

  And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

• Hebrews 12:15

  Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

• 2 Peter 1:9

  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

• 2 Peter 2:20

  For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.

• 2 Peter 2:21

  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.

• 2 John 1:9

  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.

• Revelation 2:4

  Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

• Revelation 2:5

  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

• Revelation 2:21

  And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.

• Revelation 3:2

  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

• Revelation 3:3

  Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

• Revelation 21:8

  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Instances of

Promises to

• Leviticus 26:40–42

  If they shall confess their iniquity, and the iniquity of their fathers, with their trespass which they trespassed against me, and that also they have walked contrary unto me; And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be humbled, and they then accept of the punishment of their iniquity: Then will I remember my covenant with Jacob, and also my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham will I remember; and I will remember the land.

• Deuteronomy 4:29

  But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.

• Deuteronomy 4:30

  When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto his voice;

• Deuteronomy 30:1–10

  And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the LORD thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the LORD thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath scattered thee. …

• Deuteronomy 32:26

  I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:

• Deuteronomy 32:28

  For they are a nation void of counsel, neither is there any understanding in them.

• Deuteronomy 32:29

  O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!

• 1 Kings 8:33–53

  When thy people Israel be smitten down before the enemy, because they have sinned against thee, and shall turn again to thee, and confess thy name, and pray, and make supplication unto thee in this house: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy people Israel, and bring them again unto the land which thou gavest unto their fathers. When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: …

• 2 Chronicles 30:9

  For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children shall find compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if ye return unto him.

• Job 22:23–30

  If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. …

• Psalms 17:5

  Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

• Psalms 56:13

  For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

• Psalms 81:13

  Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways!

• Psalms 81:14

  I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries.

• Isaiah 42:3

  A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

• Isaiah 57:18

  I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.

• Isaiah 57:19

  I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.

• Jeremiah 3:4–7

  Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest. The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which backsliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon every high mountain and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. …

• Jeremiah 3:12–22

  Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the LORD. Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: …

• Jeremiah 4:1

  If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

• Jeremiah 4:2

  And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

• Jeremiah 4:14

  O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

• Jeremiah 6:16

  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

• Hosea 14:4

  I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

• Zechariah 10:6

  And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them again to place them; for I have mercy upon them: and they shall be as though I had not cast them off: for I am the LORD their God, and will hear them.

• Malachi 3:7

  Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

• Matthew 23:37

  O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

• Revelation 3:8

  I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

• Revelation 3:15–21

  I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: …

Return of

• Psalms 80:3–7

  Turn us again, O God, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved. O LORD God of hosts, how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people? Thou feedest them with the bread of tears; and givest them tears to drink in great measure. …

• Psalms 80:14–19

  Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine; And the vineyard which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou madest strong for thyself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down: they perish at the rebuke of thy countenance. …

• Isaiah 17:7

  At that day shall a man look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the Holy One of Israel.

• Isaiah 29:24

  They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.

• Isaiah 31:6

  Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.

• Isaiah 31:7

  For in that day every man shall cast away his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which your own hands have made unto you for a sin.

• Jeremiah 50:4–6

  In those days, and in that time, saith the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten. My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

• Hosea 3:5

  Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; and shall fear the LORD and his goodness in the latter days.

• Hosea 6:1–3

  Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up. After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.

Instances of

Backsliding of Israel

• Exodus 17:7

  And he called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because of the chiding of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, Is the LORD among us, or not?

• Numbers 14:43

  For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the LORD, therefore the LORD will not be with you.

• Deuteronomy 4:25–31

  When thou shalt beget children, and children's children, and ye shall have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves, and make a graven image, or the likeness of any thing, and shall do evil in the sight of the LORD thy God, to provoke him to anger: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye shall soon utterly perish from off the land whereunto ye go over Jordan to possess it; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you. …

• Deuteronomy 31:16–30

  And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us? And I will surely hide my face in that day for all the evils which they shall have wrought, in that they are turned unto other gods. …

• Deuteronomy 32:5

  They have corrupted themselves, their spot is not the spot of his children: they are a perverse and crooked generation.

• Deuteronomy 32:6

  Do ye thus requite the LORD, O foolish people and unwise? is not he thy father that hath bought thee? hath he not made thee, and established thee?

• Deuteronomy 32:15

  But Jeshurun waxed fat, and kicked: thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick, thou art covered with fatness; then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock of his salvation.

• Deuteronomy 32:18

  Of the Rock that begat thee thou art unmindful, and hast forgotten God that formed thee.

• Judges 2:12

  And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.

• Judges 10:12–14

  The Zidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites, did oppress you; and ye cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. Yet ye have forsaken me, and served other gods: wherefore I will deliver you no more. Go and cry unto the gods which ye have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.

• 2 Chronicles 24:20

  And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

• 2 Kings 18:1

  Now it came to pass in the third year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah began to reign.

• 2 Kings 18:12

  Because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed his covenant, and all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded, and would not hear them, nor do them.

• 2 Chronicles 13:11

  And they burn unto the LORD every morning and every evening burnt sacrifices and sweet incense: the shewbread also set they in order upon the pure table; and the candlestick of gold with the lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the LORD our God; but ye have forsaken him.

• 2 Chronicles 27:2

  And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Uzziah did: howbeit he entered not into the temple of the LORD. And the people did yet corruptly.

• 2 Chronicles 29:6

  For our fathers have trespassed, and done that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD our God, and have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the habitation of the LORD, and turned their backs.

• 2 Chronicles 29:8

  Wherefore the wrath of the LORD was upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he hath delivered them to trouble, to astonishment, and to hissing, as ye see with your eyes.

• Ezra 9:10

  And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments,

• Ezra 9:13

  And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this;

• Ezra 9:14

  Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping?

• Nehemiah 9:26

  Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

• Psalms 78:10

  They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law;

• Psalms 78:11

  And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them.

• Psalms 78:40–43

  How oft did they provoke him in the wilderness, and grieve him in the desert! Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They remembered not his hand, nor the day when he delivered them from the enemy. …

• Psalms 78:56–64

  Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: But turned back, and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. …

• Psalms 106:13

  They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:

• Psalms 106:14

  But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.

• Isaiah 1:4–7

  Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in it; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. …

• Isaiah 1:21

  How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.

• Isaiah 1:22

  Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water:

• Isaiah 2:6

  Therefore thou hast forsaken thy people the house of Jacob, because they be replenished from the east, and are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they please themselves in the children of strangers.

• Isaiah 5:12–30

  And the harp, and the viol, the tabret, and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts: but they regard not the work of the LORD, neither consider the operation of his hands. Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. …

• Isaiah 9:13–21

  For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts. Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. …

• Isaiah 17:10

  Because thou hast forgotten the God of thy salvation, and hast not been mindful of the rock of thy strength, therefore shalt thou plant pleasant plants, and shalt set it with strange slips:

• Isaiah 17:11

  In the day shalt thou make thy plant to grow, and in the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish: but the harvest shall be a heap in the day of grief and of desperate sorrow.

• Isaiah 24:5

  The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.

• Isaiah 24:6

  Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

• Isaiah 30:9

  That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:

• Isaiah 30:15

  For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

• Isaiah 31:6

  Turn ye unto him from whom the children of Israel have deeply revolted.

• Isaiah 43:22

  But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel.

• Isaiah 43:24

  Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money, neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices: but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins, thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities.

• Isaiah 50:1

  Thus saith the LORD, Where is the bill of your mother's divorcement, whom I have put away? or which of my creditors is it to whom I have sold you? Behold, for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves, and for your transgressions is your mother put away.

• Isaiah 51:17–20

  Awake, awake, stand up, O Jerusalem, which hast drunk at the hand of the LORD the cup of his fury; thou hast drunken the dregs of the cup of trembling, and wrung them out. There is none to guide her among all the sons whom she hath brought forth; neither is there any that taketh her by the hand of all the sons that she hath brought up. These two things are come unto thee; who shall be sorry for thee? desolation, and destruction, and the famine, and the sword: by whom shall I comfort thee? …

• Isaiah 63:17

  O LORD, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our heart from thy fear? Return for thy servants' sake, the tribes of thine inheritance.

Isaiah 65:2, Isaiah 65:3, Jeremiah 2:5, Jeremiah 2:11–13, Jeremiah 2:17, Jeremiah 2:19, Jeremiah 2:21, Jeremiah 2:27, Jeremiah 2:31, Jeremiah 2:32, Jeremiah 3:1–25, Jeremiah 5:1–31, Jeremiah 6:30, Jeremiah 7:12–34, Jeremiah 8:1–22, Jeremiah 10:17–22, Jeremiah 11:9–17, Jeremiah 12:7, Jeremiah 13:24, Jeremiah 13:25, Jeremiah 14:7, Jeremiah 14:10, Jeremiah 15:1–14, Jeremiah 18:13–15, Jeremiah 19, Jeremiah 32:30, Jeremiah 32:31, Jeremiah 50:6, Ezekiel 2:3–8, Ezekiel 5:1–17, Ezekiel 11:1–21, Ezekiel 15, Ezekiel 16:43, Ezekiel 22:18, Ezekiel 23, Hosea 1:1–9, Hosea 2, Hosea 3, Hosea 4:6, Hosea 4:10, Hosea 4:16, Hosea 5:1–15, Hosea 6:4–11, Hosea 8:14, Hosea 9:1–17, Hosea 11:2, Hosea 11:7, Hosea 13:16, Hosea 14:1, Amos 2:4, Zephaniah 1:6, Malachi 1:6, Malachi 3:7, Hebrews 3:16–18

Instances of Israel's backsliding