God’s Case against His People

1Heare ye worde of the LORDE, o ye children of Israel: For the LORDE must punysh the, yt dwel in the londe. And why? There is no faithfulnesse, there is no mercy, there is no knowlege of God in the lode:

2but swearinge, lyege, maslaughter, theft and aduoutry haue gotten the ouerhande, & one bloudgiltynesse foloweth another.

3Therfore shal the londe be in a miserable case, and all they that dwell therin, shal mourne. The beastes in the felde, the foules in ye ayre, and the fishes in the see shall dye.

4Yet is there none, that wil chaste nor reproue another. The prestes which shulde refourme other me, are become like the people.

5Therfore stomblest thou in ye daye tyme &, the prophet with the in the night. I wil bringe thy mother to sylence, & why?

6my people perish, because they haue no knowlege. Seinge then that thou hast refused vnderstondinge, therfore wil I refuse ye also: so that thou shalt nomore be my prest. And for so moch as thou hast forgotten the lawe of thy God, I wil also forget thy childre.

7The more they increased in multitude, the more they synned agaynst me, therfore wil I chaurge their honoure in to shame.

8They eate vp the synnes of my people, & corage them in their wickednesse.

9Thus the prest is become like the people. Wherfore I will punysh them for their wicked wayes, & rewarde them acordinge to their owne ymaginacions.

10They shal eate, & not haue ynough: They haue vsed whordome, therfore shall they not prospere: & why? they haue forsaken the LORDE, & not regarded him.

11Whordome, wyne and dronckennesse take the herte awaye.

12My people axe councel at their stockes, their staffe must tell them. For an whorish mynde hath disceaued them, so yt they comitte fornicacion agaynst their God.

13They make sacrifice vpon the hie mountaynes, & burne their incense vpon the hilles, yee amonge the okes, groues & busshes, for there are good shadowes. Therfore yor doughters are become harlottes, and youre spouses haue broke their wedlocke

14I wil not punish yor doughters for beinge defyled, & yor brydes that became whores: seinge the fathers themselues haue medled with harlottes, and offered with vnthriftes: but the people that wil not vnderstonde, must be punyshed.

15Though thou Israel art disposed to playe ye harlot, yet shuldest not thou haue offended, o Iuda: thou shuldest not haue runne to Galgala, ner haue gone vp to Bethaue, ner haue sworne: the LORDE lyueth.

16For Israel is gone backe, like a waton cowe. The LORDE therfore shal make hir fede, as ye labe yt goeth astraye.

17And where as Ephraim is become partaker of Idols, wel, let him go.

18Their dronckenesse hath put the backe, & brought them to whordome. Their rulers loue rewardes, brynge (saye they,) to their owne shame.

19A wynde shall take holde of their fethers, & they shall be cofounded in their offeringes.