God’s Case against Israel

4 Hear the word of the Lord, s people of Israel,

for the Lord has a case t

against the inhabitants of the land:

There is no truth, u no faithful love, v

and no knowledge of God w in the land!

2 Cursing, x lying, y murder, z stealing, a

and adultery b are rampant;

one act of bloodshed follows another. c

3 For this reason the land mourns, d

and everyone who lives in it languishes,

along with the wild animals e and the birds of the sky;

even the fish of the sea disappear. f

4 But let no one dispute; g let no one argue,

for My case is against you priests. h i j

5 You will stumble by day; k

the prophet will also stumble with you by night.

And I will destroy your mother. l

6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. m

Because you have rejected knowledge, n

I will reject you o from serving as My priest.

Since you have forgotten the law of your God, p

I will also forget your sons.

7 The more they multiplied, q

the more they sinned against Me.

I r will change their honor s into disgrace. t

8 They feed on the sin u of My people; v

they have an appetite for their transgressions. w

9 The same judgment will happen

to both people and priests. x

I will punish them for their ways y

and repay them for their deeds.

10 They will eat but not be satisfied; z

they will be promiscuous a but not multiply.

For they have abandoned their devotion to the Lord. b

11 Promiscuity, c wine, and new wine

take away one’s understanding. d

12 My people consult their wooden idols, e

and their divining rods inform them.

For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray; f

they act promiscuously g

in disobedience to h their God.

13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops, i

and they burn offerings on the hills, j

and under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, k

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 l

and make sacrifices with cult prostitutes. m

People without discernment are doomed. n

Warnings for Israel and Judah

15 Israel, if you act promiscuously,

don’t let Judah become * guilty!

Do not go to Gilgal o

or make a pilgrimage to Beth-aven, p q

and do not swear an oath: As the Lord lives! r

16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn cow. s

Can the Lord now shepherd them

like a lamb in an open meadow? t

17 Ephraim is attached to idols; u

leave him alone! v

18 When their drinking is over,

they turn to promiscuity.

Israel’s leaders w fervently love disgrace. x

19 A wind with its wings will carry them off, y z

and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices.