| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me: | 1Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, |
| 2"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: "This is what the LORD says: "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. | 2“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. |
| 3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,'" declares the LORD. | 3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her found themselves guilty; disaster came upon them,’ ” declares the LORD. |
| 4Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel. | 4Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel. |
| 5This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. | 5This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves? |
| 6They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?' | 6They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’ |
| 7I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable. | 7I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable. |
| 8The priests did not ask, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols. | 8The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols. |
| 9"Therefore I bring charges against you again," declares the LORD. "And I will bring charges against your children's children. | 9Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children. |
| 10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this: | 10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this: |
| 11Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols. | 11Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols. |
| 12Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD. | 12Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,” declares the LORD. |
| 13"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. | 13“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water. |
| 14Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder? | 14Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey? |
| 15Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted. | 15The young lions have roared at him; they have growled with a loud voice. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant. |
| 16Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skull. | 16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. |
| 17Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the LORD your God when he led you in the way? | 17Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way? |
| 18Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates? | 18Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates? |
| 19Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty. | 19Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts. |
| 20"Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, 'I will not serve you!' Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute. | 20“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute. |
| 21I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine? | 21I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine? |
| 22Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me," declares the Sovereign LORD. | 22Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,” declares the Lord GOD. |
| 23"How can you say, 'I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals'? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there, | 23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there, |
| 24a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving-- in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her. | 24a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her. |
| 25Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, 'It's no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.' | 25You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’ |
| 26"As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the people of Israel are disgraced-- they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets. | 26As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets |
| 27They say to wood, 'You are my father,' and to stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!' | 27say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’ |
| 28Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns. | 28But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah. |
| 29"Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me," declares the LORD. | 29Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD. |
| 30"In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion. | 30“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.” |
| 31"You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: "Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, 'We are free to roam; we will come to you no more'? | 31You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’? |
| 32Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number. | 32Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number. |
| 33How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways. | 33How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways. |
| 34On your clothes is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this | 34Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things |
| 35you say, 'I am innocent; he is not angry with me.' But I will pass judgment on you because you say, 'I have not sinned.' | 35you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’ |
| 36Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria. | 36How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria. |
| 37You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them. | 37Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.” |
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