God’s Case against His People 1 DBY Hear the word of Jehovah, ye children of Israel; for Jehovah hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land; for there is no truth, nor goodness, nor 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 DBY Swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, — they break out; and blood toucheth blood. BSB BSB: Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.
3 DBY For this shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowl of the heavens, yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. 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 DBY Yet let no man strive, and let no man reprove; for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. BSB BSB: But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest.
5 DBY And thou shalt stumble by day; and the prophet also shall stumble with thee by night: and I will destroy thy mother. BSB BSB: You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother—
6 DBY My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; for thou hast rejected knowledge, and I will reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I also will forget thy children. 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 DBY As they were multiplied, so they sinned against me: I will change their glory into shame. BSB BSB: The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace.
8 DBY They eat the sin of my people, and their soul longeth for their iniquity. BSB BSB: They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
9 DBY And it shall be as the people so the priest; and I will visit their ways upon them, and recompense to them their doings; 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 DBY and they shall eat, and not have enough; they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: for they have left off taking heed to Jehovah. 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 DBY Fornication, and wine, and new wine take away the heart. BSB BSB: to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.
12 DBY My people ask counsel of their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms causeth them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under 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 DBY they sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oak and poplar and terebinth, because the shade thereof is good; therefore your daughters play the harlot and your daughters-in-law commit adultery. 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 DBY I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your daughters-in-law for their committing adultery; for they themselves go aside with harlots, and they sacrifice with prostitutes: and the people that doth not understand shall come to ruin. 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 DBY Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, let not Judah trespass; and come ye not unto Gilgal, neither go up to Beth-aven, nor swear As Jehovah liveth! 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 DBY For Israel is refractory as an untractable heifer; now will Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a wide pasture . BSB BSB: For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?
17 DBY — Ephraim is joined to idols: leave him alone. BSB BSB: Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!
18 DBY Their drink is sour; they give themselves up to whoredom; her great men passionately love their shame. BSB BSB: When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.
19 DBY The wind hath wrapped her up in its wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices. BSB BSB: The whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.