| English Standard Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1The 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, 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. | 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. |
| 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.” | 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. |
| 4Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the clans of the house of Israel. | 4Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all you families of the house of Israel. |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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?’ | 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?’ |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 9“Therefore I still contend with you, declares the LORD, and with your children’s children I will contend. | 9Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children. |
| 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. | 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: |
| 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. | 11Has a nation ever changed its gods, though they are no gods at all? Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols. |
| 12Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the LORD, | 12Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,” declares the LORD. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 14“Is Israel a slave? Is he a homeborn servant? Why then has he become a prey? | 14Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey? |
| 15The lions have roared against him; they have roared loudly. They have made his land a waste; his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant. | 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. |
| 16Moreover, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. | 16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. |
| 17Have you not brought this upon yourself by forsaking the LORD your God, when he led you in the way? | 17Have you not brought this on yourself by forsaking the LORD your God when He led you in the way? |
| 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? | 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? |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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. | 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. |
| 21Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine? | 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? |
| 22Though you wash yourself with lye and use much soap, the stain of your guilt is still before me, declares the Lord GOD. | 22Although you wash with lye and use an abundance of soap, the stain of your guilt is still before Me,” declares the Lord GOD. |
| 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, | 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, |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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.’ | 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.’ |
| 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, | 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 |
| 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!’ | 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!’ |
| 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. | 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. |
| 29“Why do you contend with me? You have all transgressed against me, declares the LORD. | 29Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD. |
| 30In vain have I struck your children; they took no correction; your own sword devoured your prophets like a ravening lion. | 30“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.” |
| 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’? | 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’? |
| 32Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people have forgotten me days without number. | 32Does a maiden forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for days without number. |
| 33“How well you direct your course to seek love! So that even to wicked women you have taught your ways. | 33How skillfully you pursue love! Even the most immoral of women could learn from your ways. |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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.’ | 35you say, ‘I am innocent. Surely His anger will turn from me.’ Behold, I will judge you, because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’ |
| 36How much you go about, changing your way! You shall be put to shame by Egypt as you were put to shame by Assyria. | 36How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria. |
| 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. | 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.” |
| 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. | The Berean Bible (Berean Study Bible (BSB) © 2016, 2018 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. |
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