God’s Case against His People 1 UST You Israelite people, listen to what Yahweh says! Listen, because he is bringing charges against you people who live in this land, as follows: no one is honest, no one acts faithfully as they promised in the covenant, and no one knows God in this 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 UST Instead, people curse and lie and murder and steal and commit adultery. This is happening everywhere! People are killing other people continually! BSB BSB: Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another.
3 UST Because of all these things, the land dries up, and everyone who lives in it wastes away, along with the wild animals and the birds in the sky. Even the fish in the sea are diminishing. 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 UST Certainly there is no one who can dispute{ these charges}, and there is no one who can say that I am wrong. But you are like people who argue with a priest{ when he corrects you}! BSB BSB: But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with a priest.
5 UST Bad things will happen to you during the day, and also at night, and to your prophets, as well. I am going to destroy the nation of Israel, which is like a mother to you. BSB BSB: You will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother—
6 UST I will destroy my people because they have refused to know me, and because, on their part, they have refused to know me, I will no longer allow them to be my{ kingdom of} priests. The nation of Israel has rejected the laws of their God; therefore, for my part, also I will reject her people. 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 UST The more the people increased in number, the more they sinned against me. So instead of honoring them, I will make people despise them. BSB BSB: The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace.
8 UST The priests feed on the sin offerings that my people bring, and each one craves for my people to sin even more. BSB BSB: They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
9 UST I will punish the priests along with the{ other} people. I will punish them for how they have behaved; yes, I will pay them back for what they have done. 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 UST They will eat, but they will still go hungry. They act like prostitutes, but they will not have more children, because they have abandoned obeying Yahweh. 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 UST Having sex with prostitutes,{ drinking} wine and new wine,{ all} make people unable to think clearly. BSB BSB: to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.
12 UST My people ask their wooden idols{ to guide them}, and{ they think that} a wooden stick will answer them. They do this because they have strongly desired to be unfaithful sexually and so they are also unfaithful spiritually, and because they are unfaithful in these ways, their God no longer directs or protects them. 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 UST They burn sacrifices and incense on the mountaintops, on the hills, and under oak trees, poplar trees, and terebinth trees, because the shade there is pleasant. That is why your daughters have become prostitutes and your daughters- in- law have been unfaithful{ to your sons}. 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 UST I will not punish your daughters for being prostitutes or your daughters- in- law for being unfaithful to their husbands, because the men themselves go off to be with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with the prostitutes who serve at the idol shrines. The people as a whole does not understand{ what is right}, and so Yahweh will destroy them. 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 UST Even though you people of Israel are being unfaithful to Yahweh by worshiping idols, you should not cause the people of Judah to sin{ also}.{ Warn them,}“Do not go to Gilgal or go up to Beth Aven{ to worship idols there}. Do not swear oaths{ there},{ saying,}‘I swear by the life of Yahweh{ that I will do what I am promising}.’” 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 UST I say this because the Israelite people behave as stubbornly as a young cow that refuses to obey. So Yahweh certainly will not allow them to{ freely} graze like a{ gentle} lamb in a broad meadow. BSB BSB: For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?
17 UST No, the people of Ephraim have chosen to worship idols. We can only leave them alone. BSB BSB: Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone!
18 UST They have drunk all that there was to drink; they have fully prostituted themselves. Their leaders have absolutely loved shameful things. BSB BSB: When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution; their rulers dearly love disgrace.
19 UST { They will go into exile as though} a powerful wind has swept them away, and{ all of} their sacrifices{ to idols} will only make them ashamed. BSB BSB: The whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.