¹ Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

² By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.¹

1. blood: Heb. bloods

³ Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth in it shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

⁴ Yet let no man contend, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that contend with the priest.

⁵ Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.¹

1. destroy: Heb. cut off

⁶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.¹

1. destroyed: Heb. cut off

⁷ As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

⁸ They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.¹

1. set...: Heb. lift up their soul to

⁹ And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.¹²

1. punish: Heb. visit upon
2. reward: Heb. cause to return

¹⁰ For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit harlotry, and shall not increase: because they have stopped taking heed to to the LORD.

¹¹ Harlotry and wine and new wine take away the heart.

¹² My people ask counsel at their idols, and their staff declareth to them: for the spirit of harlotry hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot departing from under their God.

¹³ They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because their shadow is pleasant: therefore your daughters shall commit harlotry, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

¹⁴ I will not punish your daughters when they commit harlotry, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for they themselves are separated with harlots, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.¹²

1. I will not: or, Shall I not
2. fall: or, be punished

¹⁵ Though thou, Israel, playest the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye to Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.

¹⁶ For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

¹⁷ Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

¹⁸ Their drink is sour: they have committed harlotry continually: her rulers with love shame more than glory.¹²

1. sour: Heb. gone
2. rulers: Heb. shields

¹⁹ The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.