12 My people consult a wooden idol,

and a diviner’s rod speaks to them.

A spirit of prostitution leads them astray;

they are unfaithful to their God.

13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops

and burn offerings on the hills,

under oak, poplar and terebinth,

where the shade is pleasant.

Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution

and your daughters-in-law to adultery.

14 “I will not punish your daughters

when they turn to prostitution,

nor your daughters-in-law

when they commit adultery,

because the men themselves consort with harlots

and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes—

a people without understanding will come to ruin!

12 My people inquire of a piece of wood,

and their walking staff gives them oracles.

For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray,

and they have left their God to play the whore.

13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains

and burn offerings on the hills,

under oak, poplar, and terebinth,

because their shade is good.

Therefore your daughters play the whore,

and your brides commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore,

nor your brides when they commit adultery;

for the men themselves go aside with prostitutes

and sacrifice with cult prostitutes,

and a people without understanding shall come to ruin.

12 My people ask counsel at their stocks,

And their staff declareth unto them:

For the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err,

And they have gone a whoring 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 the shadow thereof is good:

Therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom,

And your spouses shall commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom,

Nor your spouses when they commit adultery:

For themselves are separated with whores,

And they sacrifice with harlots:

Therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

12 They ask a piece of wood for advice!

They think a stick can tell them the future!

Longing after idols

has made them foolish.

They have played the prostitute,

serving other gods and deserting their God.

13 They offer sacrifices to idols on the mountaintops.

They go up into the hills to burn incense

in the pleasant shade of oaks, poplars, and terebinth trees.

“That is why your daughters turn to prostitution,

and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14 But why should I punish them

for their prostitution and adultery?

For your men are doing the same thing,

sinning with whores and shrine prostitutes.

O foolish people! You refuse to understand,

so you will be destroyed.

12 “My people ask wooden idols for advice;

they ask those sticks of wood to advise them!

Like prostitutes, they have chased after other gods

and have left their own God.

13 They make sacrifices on the tops of the mountains.

They burn offerings on the hills,

under oaks, poplars, and other trees,

because their shade is nice.

So your daughters become prostitutes,

and your daughters-in-law are guilty of adultery.

14 “But I will not punish your daughters

for becoming prostitutes,

nor your daughters-in-law

for their sins of adultery.

I will not punish them,

because the men have sexual relations with prostitutes

and offer sacrifices with the temple prostitutes.

A foolish people will be ruined.

12 My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom 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 terebinths, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters play the harlot, and your brides commit adultery. 14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot, nor your brides when they commit adultery; for the men themselves go apart with harlots, and they sacrifice with the prostitutes; and the people that doth not understand shall be overthrown.

12 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: 13 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. 14 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.

12 My people ask their wooden idols for help. 

A piece of wood tells them what to do. 

A spirit of prostitution leads them astray. 

They commit adultery 

by giving themselves to other gods. 

13 They offer sacrifices on mountaintops, 

and they burn incense on the hills 

under oaks, poplars, and other trees. 

They think that these trees provide good shade. 

“That is why your daughters become prostitutes, 

and your daughters-in-law commit adultery. 

14 Yet, I will not punish your daughters when they become prostitutes 

or your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. 

The men go to prostitutes 

and offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes. 

These foolish people will be trampled. 

12 My people consult their wooden idols,

and their divining rods inform them.

For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray;

they act promiscuously

in disobedience to their God.

13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops,

and they burn offerings on the hills,

and under oaks, poplars, and terebinths,

because their shade is pleasant.

And so your daughters act promiscuously

and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters

when they act promiscuously

or your daughters-in-law

when they commit adultery,

for the men themselves go off with prostitutes

and make sacrifices with cult prostitutes.

People without discernment are doomed.

12 My people consult a piece of wood,

and their divining rod gives them oracles.

For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray,

and they have played the whore, forsaking their God.

13 They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains,

and make offerings upon the hills,

under oak, poplar, and terebinth,

because their shade is good.

Therefore your daughters play the whore,

and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore,

nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery;

for the men themselves go aside with whores,

and sacrifice with temple prostitutes;

thus a people without understanding comes to ruin.

12 My people,

consult their wooden idols,

and their divining rod gives them oracles;

because a spirit of whoredom led them astray,

and they played the whore from under their God.

13 On the tops of the mountains they sacrifice,

and on the hills they make offerings,

under oak, poplar, and terebinth,

because their shade is good.

Therefore your daughters play the whore,

and all your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore,

or your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery;

because they go aside with whores,

and they sacrifice with temple prostitutes,

a people that does not understand comes to ruin.

12 They ask a wooden statue of a god for advice.

They expect to get answers from a stick of wood.

They act like prostitutes.

That leads them down the wrong path.

I am their God.

But they are not faithful to me.

13 They offer sacrifices on the mountaintops.

They burn offerings on the hills.

They worship under oak, poplar and terebinth trees.

The trees provide plenty of shade.

So your daughters become prostitutes.

And your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14 “I will not punish your daughters

when they become prostitutes.

I will not judge your daughters-in-law

when they commit adultery.

After all, the men themselves have sex with sinful women.

They offer sacrifices where temple prostitutes earn their living.

People who can’t understand will be destroyed!

12 My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them;

For a spirit of harlotry has led them astray,

And they have played the harlot, departing from their God.

13 They offer sacrifices on the tops of the mountains

And burn incense on the hills,

Under oak, poplar and terebinth,

Because their shade is pleasant.

Therefore your daughters play the harlot

And your brides commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they play the harlot

Or your brides when they commit adultery,

For the men themselves go apart with harlots

And offer sacrifices with temple prostitutes;

So the people without understanding are ruined.