| Berean Study Bible | New American Standard Bible 1995 |
| 1Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 1Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, |
| 2“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: ‘I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown. | 2"Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, 'Thus says the LORD, "I remember concerning you the devotion of your youth, The love of your betrothals, Your following after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown. |
| 3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who devoured her found themselves guilty; disaster came upon them,’ ” declares the LORD. | 3"Israel was holy to the LORD, The first of His harvest. All who ate of it became guilty; Evil came upon them," declares the LORD.'" |
| 4Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel. | 4Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. |
| 5This is what the LORD says: “What fault did your fathers find in Me that they strayed so far from Me, and followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves? | 5Thus says the LORD, "What injustice did your fathers find in Me, That they went far from Me And walked after emptiness and became empty? |
| 6They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’ | 6"They did not say, 'Where is the LORD Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and of pits, Through a land of drought and of deep darkness, Through a land that no one crossed And where no man dwelt?' |
| 7I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but you came and defiled My land, and made My inheritance detestable. | 7"I brought you into the fruitful land To eat its fruit and its good things. But you came and defiled My land, And My inheritance you made an abomination. |
| 8The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD?’ The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the leaders rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols. | 8"The priests did not say, 'Where is the LORD?' And those who handle the law did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me, And the prophets prophesied by Baal And walked after things that did not profit. |
| 9Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children. | 9"Therefore I will yet contend with you," declares the LORD, "And with your sons' sons I will contend. |
| 10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look; send to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this: | 10"For cross to the coastlands of Kittim and see, And send to Kedar and observe closely And see if there has been such a thing as this! |
| 11Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols. | 11"Has a nation changed gods When they were not gods? But My people have changed their glory For that which does not profit. |
| 12Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,” declares the LORD. | 12"Be appalled, O heavens, at this, And shudder, be very desolate," declares the LORD. |
| 13“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water. | 13"For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, The fountain of living waters, To hew for themselves cisterns, Broken cisterns That can hold no water. |
| 14Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey? | 14"Is Israel a slave? Or is he a homeborn servant? Why has he become a prey? |
| 15The young lions have roared at him; they have growled with a loud voice. They have laid waste his land; his cities lie in ruins, without inhabitant. | 15"The young lions have roared at him, They have roared loudly. And they have made his land a waste; His cities have been destroyed, without inhabitant. |
| 16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. | 16"Also the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes Have shaved the crown of your head. |
| 17Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way? | 17"Have you not done this to yourself By your forsaking the LORD your God When He led you in the way? |
| 18Now what will you gain on your way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain on your way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates? | 18"But now what are you doing on the road to Egypt, To drink the waters of the Nile? Or what are you doing on the road to Assyria, To drink the waters of the Euphrates? |
| 19Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Consider and realize how evil and bitter it is for you to forsake the LORD your God and to have no fear of Me,” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts. | 19"Your own wickedness will correct you, And your apostasies will reprove you; Know therefore and see that it is evil and bitter For you to forsake the LORD your God, And the dread of Me is not in you," declares the Lord GOD of hosts. |
| 20“For long ago you broke your yoke and tore off your chains, saying, ‘I will not serve!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every green tree you lay down as a prostitute. | 20"For long ago I broke your yoke And tore off your bonds; But you said, 'I will not serve!' For on every high hill And under every green tree You have lain down as a harlot. |
| 21I had planted you like a choice vine from the very best seed. How could you turn yourself before Me into a rotten, wild vine? | 21"Yet I planted you a choice vine, A completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine? |
| 22Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,” declares the Lord GOD. | 22"Although you wash yourself with lye And use much soap, The stain of your iniquity is before Me," declares the Lord GOD. |
| 23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young she-camel galloping here and there, | 23"How can you say, 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals '? Look at your way in the valley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel entangling her ways, |
| 24a wild donkey at home in the wilderness, sniffing the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can restrain her passion? All who seek her need not weary themselves; in mating season they will find her. | 24A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. In the time of her heat who can turn her away? All who seek her will not become weary; In her month they will find her. |
| 25You should have kept your feet from going bare and your throat from being thirsty. But you said, ‘It is hopeless! For I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’ | 25"Keep your feet from being unshod And your throat from thirst; But you said, 'It is hopeless! No! For I have loved strangers, And after them I will walk.' |
| 26As the thief is ashamed when he is caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets | 26"As the thief is shamed when he is discovered, So the house of Israel is shamed; They, their kings, their princes And their priests and their prophets, |
| 27say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’ and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ For they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces, yet in the time of trouble they beg, ‘Rise up and save us!’ | 27Who say to a tree, 'You are my father,' And to a stone, 'You gave me birth.' For they have turned their back to Me, And not their face; But in the time of their trouble they will say, 'Arise and save us.' |
| 28But where are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them rise up in your time of trouble and save you if they can; for your gods are as numerous as your cities, O Judah. | 28"But where are your gods Which you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you In the time of your trouble; For according to the number of your cities Are your gods, O Judah. |
| 29Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD. | 29"Why do you contend with Me? You have all transgressed against Me," declares the LORD. |
| 30“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.” | 30"In vain I have struck your sons; They accepted no chastening. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion. |
| 31You people of this generation, consider the word of the LORD: “Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to You no more’? | 31"O generation, heed the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of thick darkness? Why do My people say, 'We are free to roam; We will no longer come to You'? |
| 32Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number. | 32"Can a virgin forget her ornaments, Or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me Days without number. |
| 33How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways. | 33"How well you prepare your way To seek love! Therefore even the wicked women You have taught your ways. |
| 34Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor, though you did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things | 34"Also on your skirts is found The lifeblood of the innocent poor; You did not find them breaking in. But in spite of all these things, |
| 35you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’ | 35Yet you said, 'I am innocent; Surely His anger is turned away from me.' Behold, I will enter into judgment with you Because you say, 'I have not sinned.' |
| 36How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria. | 36"Why do you go around so much Changing your way? Also, you will be put to shame by Egypt As you were put to shame by Assyria. |
| 37Moreover, you will leave that place with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not prosper by their help.” | 37"From this place also you will go out With your hands on your head; For the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, And you will not prosper with them." |
| The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. | New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org |
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