5 Yes, their mother is promiscuous;

she conceived them and acted shamefully.ac

For she thought, “I will follow my lovers,ad

the men who give me my food and water,

my wool and flax, my oil and drink.”ae

6 Therefore, this is what I will do:

I will block herG wayaf with thorns;ag

I will enclose her with a wall,

so that she cannot find her paths.a

7 She will pursue her lovers but not catch them;b

she will look for them but not find them.

Then she will think,

“I will go back to my former husband,c

for then it was better for me than now.”d

8 She does not recognizee

that it is I who gave her the grain,f

the new wine, and the fresh oil.

I lavished silver and gold on her,

which they used for Baal.