Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1The word of the LORD came to me:

1The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

2"Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the LORD says: I remember the loyalty 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 hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD, “I remember the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it found themselves guilty; disaster came on them." This is the LORD's declaration.

3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest. All who ate of it incurred guilt; disaster came upon them, declares the LORD.”

4Hear the word of the LORD, house of Jacob and all families of the house of Israel.

4Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel.

5This is what the LORD says: What fault did your fathers find in me that they went so far from me, followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?

5Thus says the LORD: “What wrong did your fathers find in me that they went far from me, and went after worthlessness, and became worthless?

6They stopped asking, "Where is the LORD who brought us from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, through a land of drought and darkness, a land no one traveled through and where no one lived?"

6They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us in the wilderness, in a land of deserts and pits, in a land of drought and deep darkness, in a land that none passes through, where no man dwells?’

7I brought you to a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but after you entered, you defiled my land; you made my inheritance detestable.

7And I brought you into a plentiful land to enjoy its fruits and its good things. But when you came in, you defiled my land and made my heritage an abomination.

8The priests quit asking, "Where is the LORD?" The experts in the law no longer knew me, and the rulers rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.

8The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the shepherds transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal and went after things that do not profit.

9Therefore, I will bring a case against you again. This is the LORD's declaration. I will bring a case against your children's children.

9“Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children’s children I will contend.

10Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and take a look. Send someone to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:

10For cross to the coasts of Cyprus and see, or send to Kedar and examine with care; see if there has been such a thing.

11Has a nation ever exchanged its gods? (But they were not gods!) Yet my people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

11Has a nation changed its gods, even though they are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.

12Be appalled at this, heavens; be shocked and utterly desolated! This is the LORD's declaration.

12Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD,

13For my people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves-- cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.

13for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.

14Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why else has he become a prey?

14“Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant? Why then has he become a prey?

15The young lions have roared at him; they have roared loudly. They have laid waste his land. His cities are in ruins, without inhabitants.

15The lions have roared against him; they have roared loudly. They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant.

16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have also broken your skull.

16Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head.

17Have you not brought this on yourself by abandoning the LORD your God while he was leading you along the way?

17Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the LORD your God, when he led you in the way?

18Now what will you gain by traveling along the way to Egypt to drink the water of the Nile? What will you gain by traveling along the way to Assyria to drink the water of the Euphrates?

18And now what do you gain by going to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? Or what do you gain by going to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

19Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Recognize how evil and bitter it is for you to abandon the LORD your God and to have no fear of me. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD of Armies.

19Your evil will chastise you, and your apostasy will reprove you. Know and see that it is evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God; the fear of me is not in you, declares the Lord GOD of hosts.

20For long ago I broke your yoke; I tore off your chains. You insisted, "I will not serve!" On every high hill and under every green tree you lay down like a prostitute.

20“For long ago I broke your yoke and burst your bonds; but you said, ‘I will not serve.’ Yes, on every high hill and under every green tree you bowed down like a whore.

21I planted you, a choice vine from the very best seed. How then could you turn into a degenerate, foreign vine?

21Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?

22Even if you wash with lye and use a great amount of bleach, the stain of your iniquity is still in front of me. This is the Lord GOD's declaration.

22Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord GOD.

23How can you protest, "I am not defiled; I have not followed the Baals"? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young camel twisting and turning on her way,

23How can you say, ‘I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done— a restless young camel running here and there,

24a wild donkey at home in the wilderness. She sniffs the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can control her passion? All who look for her will not become weary; they will find her in her mating season.

24a wild donkey used to the wilderness, in her heat sniffing the wind! Who can restrain her lust? None who seek her need weary themselves; in her month they will find her.

25Keep your feet from going bare and your throat from thirst. But you say, "It's hopeless; I love strangers, and I will continue to follow them."

25Keep your feet from going unshod and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is hopeless, for I have loved foreigners, and after them I will go.’

26Like the shame of a thief when he is caught, so the house of Israel has been put to shame. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets

26“As a thief is shamed when caught, so the house of Israel shall be shamed: they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets,

27say to a tree, "You are my father," and to a stone, "You gave birth to me." For they have turned their back to me and not their face, yet in their time of disaster 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 say, ‘Arise and save us!’

28But where are your gods you made for yourself? Let them rise up and save you in your time of disaster if they can, for your gods are as numerous as your cities, Judah.

28But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise, if they can save you, in your time of trouble; for as many as your cities are your gods, O Judah.

29Why do you bring a case against me? All of you have rebelled against me. This is the LORD's declaration.

29“Why do you contend with me? You have all transgressed against me, declares the LORD.

30I have struck down your children in vain; they would not accept discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a ravaging lion.

30In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion.

31Evil generation, pay attention to the word of the LORD! Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do my people claim, "We will go where we want; we will no longer come to you"?

31And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness to Israel, or a land of thick darkness? Why then do my people say, ‘We are free, we will come no more to you’?

32Can a young woman forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet my people have forgotten me for countless days.

32Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number.

33How skillfully you pursue love; you also teach evil women your ways.

33“How well you direct your course to seek love! So that even to wicked women you have taught your ways.

34Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor. You did not catch them breaking and entering. But in spite of all these things

34Also on your skirts is found the lifeblood of the guiltless poor; you did not find them breaking in. Yet in spite of all these things

35you claim, "I am innocent. His anger is sure to turn away from me." But I will certainly judge you because you have said, "I have not sinned."

35you say, ‘I am innocent; surely his anger has turned from me.’ Behold, I will bring you to judgment for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’

36How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be put to shame by Egypt just as you were put to shame by Assyria.

36How much you go about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria.

37Moreover, you will be led out from here with your hands on your head since the LORD has rejected those you trust; you will not succeed even with their help.

37From it too you will come away with your hands on your head, for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you will not prosper by them.

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.