Berean Study Bible

International Standard Version

1Again the word of the LORD came to me, saying,

1This message came to me from the LORD:

2“Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her abominations

2"Son of Man, make known to Israel her detestable practices.

3and tell her that this is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.

3You are to declare, 'This is what the Lord GOD says to Jerusalem: "Your birth place was the territory that belonged to the Canaanites. Your father was an Ammonite and your mother was a Hittite.

4On the day of your birth your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water for cleansing. You were not rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.

4Now as to your birth, on the day you were born your umbilical cord wasn't cut. You weren't washed with water to clean you, and nobody rubbed you with salt. And it's certain that you weren't wrapped in strips of cloth.

5No one cared enough for you to do even one of these things out of compassion for you. Instead, you were thrown out into the open field, because you were despised on the day of your birth.

5Nobody pitied you to do any of these things for you, and nobody showed you any compassion. You were tossed outside on the ground, because you were detested from the day you were born.

6Then I passed by and saw you wallowing in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, ‘Live!’ There I said to you, ‘Live!’

6"'"When I passed by you, I saw you kicking around, covered in your own blood. That's when I told you, 'Live!'—while you were wallowing in your blood. I commanded you to live, even as you lay there in your own blood.

7I made you thrive like a plant of the field. You grew up and matured and became very beautiful. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, but you were naked and bare.

7I made you increase like sprouting grain in the field. As a result, you multiplied greatly. Eventually, you reached the age when young women start wearing jewelry. Your breasts were formed, your hair had grown, but you were still bare and naked."'"

8Then I passed by and saw you, and you were indeed old enough for love. So I spread My cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine, declares the Lord GOD.

8"When I passed by you again, I looked at you, and noticed that it was your proper time for love. I spread my cloak over you to cover your nakedness. I made a solemn promise to you and entered into a covenant with you," declares the Lord GOD. "You belong to me.

9Then I bathed you with water, rinsed off your blood, and anointed you with oil.

9I bathed you with water, rinsed your own blood from you, and anointed you with oil.

10I clothed you in embroidered cloth and gave you sandals of fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.

10Then I covered you with embroidered clothing, clothed your feet with leather sandals, wrapped you with fine linen, and dressed you in silk.

11I adorned you with jewelry, and I put bracelets on your wrists and a chain around your neck.

11I adorned you with jewels, placing bracelets on your hand and necklaces on your neck.

12I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head.

12I put a ring in your nose, earrings in your ears, and a crown encrusted with jewels on your head.

13So you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was made of fine linen, silk, and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey, and oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be queen.

13You were adorned with gold, silver, clothing of fine linen, silk, and embroidery. You ate food made from the finest flour, honey, and olive oil. You were exceedingly beautiful, attaining royal status.

14Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect in the splendor I bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.

14Your fame spread throughout the nations because of your beauty. You were perfectly beautiful due to my splendor with which I endowed you," declares the Lord GOD.

15But because of your fame, you trusted in your beauty and played the harlot. You lavished your favors on everyone who passed by, and your beauty was theirs for the asking.

15"But you trusted in your beauty. You did what whores do, as a result of your fame. You passed out your sexual favors to anyone who passed by, giving yourself to anyone.

16You took some of your garments and made colorful high places for yourself, and on them you prostituted yourself. Such things should not have happened; never should they have occurred!

16You took some of your clothes and made gaily-colored high places and prostituted yourself all around them—something which had never happened before nor will ever happen again.

17You also took the fine jewelry of gold and silver I had given you, and you made male idols with which to prostitute yourself.

17"You also took your fine jewelry—including my gold and my silver that I had given you. Then you made for yourself male images and had sex with them!

18You took your embroidered garments to cover them, and you set My oil and incense before them.

18You took your embroidered gowns and made clothes to cover them. Then you offered my olive oil and incense to them.

19And you set before them as a pleasing aroma the food I had given you—the fine flour, oil, and honey that I had fed you. That is what happened, declares the Lord GOD.

19"Not only that, you took the food I gave you—my fine flour, olive oil, and honey with which I fed you, and you offered them to those gods in order to appease them. That's exactly what happened," says the Lord GOD.

20You even took the sons and daughters you bore to Me and sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough?

20"Then you took your sons and daughters whom you bore for me and sacrificed them for your idols to eat. As though your prostitutions were an insignificant thing,

21You slaughtered My children and delivered them up through the fire to idols.

21you also slaughtered my sons and offered them to idols, incinerating them in fire.

22And in all your abominations and acts of prostitution, you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your own blood.

22Throughout all of your detestable practices and immorality, you never did remember your earlier life when you were bare, naked, and wallowing in your own blood."

23Woe! Woe to you, declares the Lord GOD. And in addition to all your other wickedness,

23"How terrible! How terrible it will be for all of your wickedness!" declares the Lord GOD.

24you built yourself a mound and made yourself a lofty shrine in every public square.

24"You built raised mounds and high places for yourself on every plaza.

25At the head of every street you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty. With increasing promiscuity, you spread your legs to all who passed by.

25At every street corner you made your beauty abhorrent when you made yourself available for sex to anyone who was passing by. By doing this, you kept on committing more and more immorality.

26You prostituted yourself with your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, and increased your promiscuity to provoke Me to anger.

26Then you committed immorality with your neighbors, the Egyptians, with perverted lust, and by doing so you fornicated even more, provoking me to anger.

27Therefore I stretched out My hand against you and reduced your portion. I gave you over to the desire of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd conduct.

27"Therefore, look out! I've reached out to oppose you. I withdrew your rations and delivered you to those Philistine women who hate you. Even they were embarrassed at your wicked ways!

28Then you prostituted yourself with the Assyrians, because you were not yet satisfied. Even after that, you were still not satisfied.

28You committed immorality with the Assyrians, because you still weren't satisfied. You committed immorality with them, but you still weren't satisfied.

29So you extended your promiscuity to Chaldea, the land of merchants—but even with this you were not satisfied!

29You committed even more immorality with that land of the merchants, the Chaldeans. But you weren't satisfied even with these!

30How weak-willed is your heart, declares the Lord GOD, while you do all these things, the acts of a shameless prostitute!

30"How weak is your heart," declares the Lord GOD, "when you committed all of these deeds, the acts of an imperious whore!

31But when you built your mounds at the head of every street and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were not even like a prostitute, because you scorned payment.

31When you built your mound on every street corner and constructed your high place at every plaza, you weren't like a common prostitute, in that you've insulted the wages of a prostitute

32You adulterous wife! You receive strangers instead of your own husband!

32who commits adultery, preferring a stranger over her husband!

33Men give gifts to all their prostitutes, but you gave gifts to all your lovers. You bribed them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors.

33"All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give your gifts to all your lovers, then you bribe them to come to you from everywhere to get your sexual favors!

34So your prostitution is the opposite of that of other women: No one solicited your favors, and you paid a fee instead of receiving one; so you are the very opposite!

34You're different from other women when you commit immorality—no one can match you in that! After all, you pay fees, but no fee is given to you. You're certainly different!"

35Therefore, O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD!

35"Therefore listen to this message from the LORD, you whore!

36This is what the Lord GOD says: Because you poured out your wealth and exposed your nakedness in your promiscuity with your lovers and with all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children which you gave to them,

36This is what the Lord GOD says: 'Because your lust has been poured out and your nakedness has been uncovered by your acts of fornication with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols and the blood of your sons, whom you offered to them,

37therefore I will surely gather all the lovers with whom you found pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and expose you before them, and they will see you completely naked.

37therefore, watch out! I'm about to gather all your lovers from whom you've received your pleasure, everyone whom you've loved, and those whom you've hated. I'll gather them together to oppose you from every side, and they'll uncover your nakedness in their presence. Then they'll see you completely naked.

38And I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and those who shed blood; so I will bring upon you the wrath of your bloodshed and jealousy.

38I'll judge you with the same standards by which I issue verdicts against a woman who commits adultery and murder. I'll avenge the blood you've shed with impassioned wrath.

39Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will level your mounds and tear down your lofty shrines. They will strip off your clothes, take your fine jewelry, and leave you naked and bare.

39"I'll also deliver you into their control, and they'll break down your mounds, tear down your high places, strip off your clothes, remove your fine jewels, and then they'll leave you stark naked!

40They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords.

40They'll bring a mob against you to stone you to death and cut you into pieces with their swords.

41Then they will burn down your houses and execute judgment against you in the sight of many women. I will put an end to your prostitution, and you will never again pay your lovers.

41Then they'll burn your houses and carry out my sentence against you in the sight of many women. "That's how I'll make you stop your prostitution so you won't pay any prostitute's fees anymore.

42So I will lay to rest My wrath against you, and My jealousy will turn away from you. Then I will be calm and no longer angry.

42I'll stop being angry with you, and I'll cease being jealous. I'll be calm and not be indignant anymore.

43Because you did not remember the days of your youth, but enraged Me with all these things, I will surely bring your deeds down upon your own head, declares the Lord GOD. Have you not committed this lewdness on top of all your other abominations?

43Because you didn't remember the time when you were young, but instead you provoked me to anger because of all these things, watch out! I'm going to bring your behavior back to haunt you!" declares the Lord GOD. "Didn't you do this wicked thing, in addition to all your other detestable practices?"

44Behold, all who speak in proverbs will quote this proverb about you: ‘Like mother, like daughter.’

44"Now, everyone who likes proverbs will quote this proverb about you, 'Like mother, like daughter.'

45You are the daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and children. You are the sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.

45You're the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You're the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children. "Your mother was a Hittite and your father was an Amorite.

46Your older sister was Samaria, who lived with her daughters to your north; and your younger sister was Sodom, who lived with her daughters to your south.

46Your elder sister was Samaria. She and her daughters lived in the north, while your younger sister who lived in the south with her daughters was Sodom.

47And you not only walked in their ways and practiced their abominations, but soon you were more depraved than they were.

47It wasn't just that you lived like they did and committed their detestable practices, but in just a little while your behavior led you to become more corrupt than they were!"

48As surely as I live, declares the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did as you and your daughters have done.

48"As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "your sister Sodom and her daughters didn't do what you and your daughters have done.

49Now this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed, and complacent; they did not help the poor and needy.

49Look! This was the sin of your sister Sodom and her daughters: Pride, too much food, undisturbed peace, and failure to help the poor and needy.

50Thus they were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I removed them, as you have seen.

50In their arrogance, they committed detestable practices in my presence, so when I saw it, I removed them.

51Furthermore, Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have multiplied your abominations beyond theirs, and all the abominations you have committed have made your sisters appear righteous.

51Samaria didn't commit half of your sins—you practiced more detestable deeds than they did! You've caused your sister to be more righteous than you, because of the detestable practices that you've committed.

52So now you must bear your disgrace, since you have brought justification for your sisters. For they appear more righteous than you, because your sins were more vile than theirs. So you too must bear your shame and disgrace, since you have made your sisters appear righteous.

52So now, bear your own shame as you mediate for your sisters. The sins that you've committed are more detestable than theirs. That makes them more righteous than you. Indeed, be ashamed and bear your reproach, because you've made your sisters to be more righteous than you."

53But I will restore Sodom and her daughters from captivity, as well as Samaria and her daughters. And I will restore you along with them.

53"I'll bring them back from their captivity—that is, from the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, along with the captivity of Samaria and her daughters and the captivity of your captives among them.

54So you will bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you did to comfort them.

54But you'll continue to bear your own reproach and be humiliated for everything that you've done. You'll be a comfort to them.

55And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to their former state. You and your daughters will also return to your former state.

55Your sister Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status. Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status. Then you and your daughters will be restored to your former status.

56Did you not treat your sister Sodom as an object of scorn in the day of your pride,

56"When you were being so arrogant, you never once mentioned your sister Sodom

57before your wickedness was uncovered? Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom and all those around her, and by the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you.

57before your wickedness was revealed. Now you've become an object of derision to the inhabitants of Aram and its neighbors, including the Philistines —all those around you who despise you.

58You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your abominations, declares the LORD.

58You are to bear the punishment of your wickedness and detestable practices," declares the LORD,

59For this is what the Lord GOD says: I will deal with you according to your deeds, since you have despised the oath by breaking the covenant.

59"since the Lord GOD says, 'I'll deal with you according to what you've done, when you despised your oath by breaking the covenant.

60But I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.

60"'Meanwhile, as for me, I'll remember my covenant with you from when you were young, because I'll establish an eternal covenant with you.

61Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not because of My covenant with you.

61Then you'll remember your behavior and be ashamed when you greet your sisters—your elder sister and your younger sister. I'll give them to you as daughters, but not on account of my covenant with you.

62So I will establish My covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD,

62I'll establish my covenant with you, and then you'll know that I am the LORD.

63so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”

63Then you will remember, be ashamed, and you won't open your mouth anymore due to humiliation when I will have made atonement for you for everything that you've done,' declares the Lord GOD."

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