God’s Case against His People 1 CPDV Listen to the word of the Lord, sons of Israel, for the Lord is judge of the inhabitants of the land. Yet there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God, in the land. BSB BSB: Hear 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!
2 CPDV Slander, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and bloodshed has brought more bloodshed. BSB BSB: Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.
3 CPDV Because of this, the land will mourn, and all who dwell in it will languish, with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air. And the fishes of the sea also will be gathered together. BSB BSB: Therefore 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.
4 CPDV So, truly, let each and every one not judge, and let no man be accused, for your people are just like those who speak against the priesthood. BSB BSB: But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest.
5 CPDV And you will be ruined on this day, and now the prophet will be ruined with you. In the night, I have made your mother to be silent. BSB BSB: You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother—
6 CPDV My people have become silent because they had no knowledge. Since you have rejected knowledge, I will drive you away; you do not perform the duties of the priesthood for me, and you have forgotten the law of your God, and so I will forget your sons. BSB BSB: My 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.
7 CPDV According to the multitude of them, so have they sinned against me. I will change their glory into disgrace. BSB BSB: The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace.
8 CPDV They will devour the sins of my people, and they will lift up their souls towards their iniquity. BSB BSB: They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
9 CPDV And, just as it is with the people, so will it be with the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and I will repay them for their intentions. BSB BSB: And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
10 CPDV And they will eat and not be satisfied. They have been committing fornication, and they did not cease. Since they have abandoned the Lord, they will not be safeguarded. BSB BSB: They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have abandoned the LORD to give themselves
11 CPDV Fornication, and wine, and drunkenness, have taken away their heart. BSB BSB: to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.
12 CPDV My people have inquired of their stave, and their staff has announced to them. For the spirit of fornication has deceived them, and they have been fornicating before their God. BSB BSB: My 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.
13 CPDV They have offered sacrifice on the tops of the mountains and burnt incense on the hills, under the oak, and the poplar, and the terebinth tree, because its shadow was good; therefore, your daughters will commit fornication and your spouses will be adulteresses. BSB BSB: They 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.
14 CPDV I will not send afflictions on your daughters, when they will commit fornication, nor on your spouses, when they will commit adultery, because you yourselves have associated with harlots and have offered sacrifice with the effeminate, and because the people who do not understand will be defeated. BSB BSB: I 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.
15 CPDV If you commit fornication, Israel, at least let Judah not commit offenses; and do not be willing to enter into Gilgal, nor to ascend to Bethaven, and neither should you swear, “As the Lord lives.” BSB BSB: Though 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!’
16 CPDV For Israel has gone astray like a wanton heifer; so now the Lord will pasture them like a young lamb in a wide expanse. BSB BSB: For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?
17 CPDV Ephraim participates in idolatry, so send him away. BSB BSB: Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!
18 CPDV Their feasting has been set aside; they have committed fornication after fornication. They love to bring disgrace to their protectors. BSB BSB: When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.
19 CPDV The wind has fastened them to its wings, and they will be confounded because of their sacrifices. BSB BSB: The whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.