1 God's judgments against the sins of the people, 6 and of the priests, 12 and against their idolatry. 15 Judah is exhorted to take warning by Israel's calamity.
1. Hear athe word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for bthe LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because cthere is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2. dBy swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and 1blood etoucheth blood.
3. Therefore fshall 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 glet no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are has they that strive with the priest.
5. Therefore ishalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will 2destroy thy jmother.
6. ¶My people are 3destroyed kfor lack of knowledge: because lthou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that mthou shalt be no priest to me: seeing nthou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also oforget thy children.
7. pAs they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore qwill I change their glory into shame.
8. They reat up the sin of my people, and they 4set their sheart on their iniquity.
9. And there shall be, tlike people, like priest: and I will 5punish them for their ways, and 6reward them their doings.
10. For uthey shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit vwhoredom, and shall not increase: because they whave left off to take heed to the LORD.
11. xWhoredom and wine and new wine ytake away the heart.
12. ¶zMy people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for athe spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone ba whoring from under their God.
13. They csacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under doaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore eyour daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
14. 7I will not fpunish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for gthemselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: htherefore the people that doth not understand shall 8fall.
15. ¶Though thou, Israel, iplay the harlot, yet jlet not Judah offend; and come not ye unto kGilgal, neither go ye up to lBeth-aven, mnor swear, The LORD liveth.
16. For Israel nslideth back oas a backsliding heifer: now the LORD pwill feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17. qEphraim is joined to idols: rlet him alone.
18. sTheir drink is 9sour: they have committed whoredom tcontinually: her 10rulers with shame udo love, Give ye.
19. vThe wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be washamed because of their sacrifices.
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. By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood. 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. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. ¶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. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings. 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. Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. ¶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. 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. 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. ¶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. For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place. Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone. Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye. The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.