“Even the best teacher fails, when his pupils are unwilling to learn and God is lamenting this reality in verse 18. He was the teacher who taught the Israelites for their own good (verse 17) who lead them where they ought to go and yet they paid no attention to Gods commandments ( verse 18). The tragedy of Israel could easily have been avoided; but the prophet reminds her that all of her past history was one unending tragedy of squandered opportunities. This, of course, places the responsibility of Israel’s tragic state squarely upon the people themselves.