1: Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the
LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there
is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land. |
|
2: By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and
committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. |
|
3:
Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth
therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls
of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. |
|
4: Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are
as they that strive with the priest. |
|
5: Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also
shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. |
|
6: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou
hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no
priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also
forget thy children. |
|
7: As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore
will I change their glory into shame. |
|
8: They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on
their iniquity. |
|
9: And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will
punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. |
|
10: For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit
whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take
heed to the LORD. |
|
11: Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
|
|
12: My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff
declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to
err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God. |
|
13: They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn
incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the
shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom,
and your spouses shall commit adultery. |
|
14: I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom,
nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated
with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that
doth not understand shall fall. |
|
15: Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah
offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Beth-aven, nor
swear, The LORD liveth. |
|
16: For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD
will feed them as a lamb in a large place. |
|
17: Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. |
|
18: Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom
continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye. |
|
19: The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be
ashamed because of their sacrifices. |