| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land! | 1Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites! For the LORD has a covenant lawsuit against the people of Israel. For there is neither faithfulness nor loyalty in the land, nor do they acknowledge God. |
| 2Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. | 2There is only cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery. They resort to violence and bloodshed. |
| 3Therefore the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear. | 3Therefore the land will mourn, and all its inhabitants will perish. The wild animals, the birds of the sky, and even the fish in the sea will perish. |
| 4But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest. | 4Do not let anyone accuse or contend against anyone else: for my case is against you priests! |
| 5You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother— | 5You stumble day and night, and the false prophets stumble with you; You have destroyed your own people! |
| 6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children. | 6You have destroyed my people by failing to acknowledge me! Because you refuse to acknowledge me, I will reject you as my priests. Because you reject the law of your God, I will reject your descendants. |
| 7The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace. | 7The more the priests increased in numbers, the more they rebelled against me. They have turned their glorious calling into a shameful disgrace! |
| 8They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity. | 8They feed on the sin offerings of my people; their appetites long for their iniquity! |
| 9And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. | 9I will deal with the people and priests together: I will punish them both for their ways, and I will repay them for their deeds. |
| 10They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have stopped obeying the LORD. | 10They will eat, but not be satisfied; they will engage in prostitution, but not increase in numbers; because they have abandoned the LORD by pursuing other gods. |
| 11Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away understanding. | 11Old and new wine take away the understanding of my people. |
| 12My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God. | 12They consult their wooden idols, and their diviner's staff answers with an oracle. The wind of prostitution blows them astray; they commit spiritual adultery against their God. |
| 13They sacrifice on the mountaintops and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery. | 13They sacrifice on the mountaintops, and burn offerings on the hills; they sacrifice under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is so pleasant. As a result, your daughters have become cult prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit adultery! |
| 14I will not punish your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin. | 14I will not punish your daughters when they commit prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men consort with harlots, they sacrifice with temple prostitutes. It is true: "A people that lacks understanding will come to ruin!" |
| 15Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up to Beth-aven, and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’ | 15Although you, O Israel, commit adultery, do not let Judah become guilty! Do not journey to Gilgal! Do not go up to Beth Aven! Do not swear, "As surely as the LORD lives!" |
| 16For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow? | 16Israel has rebelled like a stubborn heifer! Soon the LORD will put them out to pasture like a lamb in a broad field! |
| 17Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone! | 17Ephraim has attached himself to idols; Do not go near him! |
| 18When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace. | 18They consume their alcohol, then engage in cult prostitution; they dearly love their shameful behavior. |
| 19The whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame. | 19A whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings; they will be brought to shame because of their idolatrous worship. |
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