God’s Charge Against Israel
1 Hear the word of theLord,
You children of Israel,
# For theLordbringsacharge against the inhabitants of the land:
“There is no truth or mercy
# Orknowledge of God in the land.
2 Byswearing and lying,
Killing and stealing and committing adultery,
They break all restraint,
With bloodshed upon bloodshed.
3 Thereforethe land will mourn;
# Andeveryone who dwells there will waste away
With the beasts of the field
And the birds of the air;
Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.
4 “Now let no man contend, or rebuke another;
# For your peoplearelike thosewho contend with the priest.
5 Therefore you shall stumblein the day;
The prophet also shall stumble with you in the night;
And I will destroy your mother.
6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being priest for Me;
# Because you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.
7 “The more they increased,
The more they sinned against Me;
# I will change their glory into shame.
8 They eat up the sin of My people;
They set their heart on their iniquity.
9 And it shall be:like people, like priest.
So I will punish them for their ways,
And reward them for their deeds.
10 Forthey shall eat, but not have enough;
They shall commit harlotry, but not increase;
Because they have ceased obeying theLord.
The Idolatry of Israel
11 “Harlotry, wine, and new wineenslave the heart.
12 My people ask counsel from theirwoodenidols,
And their staff informs them.
# Forthe spirit of harlotry has causedthemto stray,
And they have played the harlot against their God.
13 They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops,
And burn incense on the hills,
Under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,
Because their shadeisgood.
# Therefore your daughters commit harlotry,
And your brides commit adultery.
14 “I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry,
Nor your brides when they commit adultery;
Forthementhemselves go apart with harlots,
# And offer sacrifices with aritual harlot.
Therefore peoplewhodo not understand will be trampled.
15 “Though you, Israel, play the harlot,
Let not Judah offend.
# Do not come up to Gilgal,
# Nor go up toBeth Aven,
# Nor swear an oath,saying,‘As theLordlives’—
16 “For Israelis stubborn
Like a stubborn calf;
Now theLordwill let them forage
Like a lamb in open country.
17 “Ephraimisjoined to idols,
# Let him alone.
18 Their drink is rebellion,
They commit harlotry continually.
# Her rulers dearly love dishonor.
19 The wind has wrapped her up in its wings,
# Andthey shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.