English Standard Version

New Living Translation

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

1The LORD gave me another message. He said,

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 shout this message to Jerusalem. This is what the LORD says: “I remember how eager you were to please me as a young bride long ago, how you loved me and followed me even through the barren wilderness.

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.”

3In those days Israel was holy to the LORD, the first of his children. All who harmed his people were declared guilty, and disaster fell on them. I, the LORD, have spoken!”

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

4Listen to the word of the LORD, people of Jacob—all you families 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 did your ancestors find wrong with me that led them to stray so far from me? They worshiped worthless idols, only to become 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 safely out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness— a land of deserts and pits, a land of drought and death, where no one lives or even travels?’

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.

7“And when I brought you into a fruitful land to enjoy its bounty and goodness, you defiled my land and corrupted the possession I had promised you.

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?’ Those who taught my word ignored me, the rulers turned against me, and the prophets spoke in the name of Baal, wasting their time on worthless idols.

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

9Therefore, I will bring my case against you,” says the LORD. “I will even bring charges against your children’s children in the years to come.

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.

10“Go west and look in the land of Cyprus ; go east and search through the land of Kedar. Has anyone ever heard of anything as strange as 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 any nation ever traded its gods for new ones, even though they are not gods at all? Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols!

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

12The heavens are shocked at such a thing and shrink back in horror and dismay,” says 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 done two evil things: They have abandoned me— the fountain of living water. And they have dug for themselves cracked cisterns that can hold no water at all! The Results of Israel’s Sin

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

14“Why has Israel become a slave? Why has he been carried away as plunder?

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

15Strong lions have roared against him, and the land has been destroyed. The towns are now in ruins, and no one lives in them anymore.

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

16Egyptians, marching from their cities of Memphis and Tahpanhes, have destroyed Israel’s glory and power.

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

17And you have brought this upon yourselves by rebelling against the LORD your God, even though he was leading you on 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?

18“What have you gained by your alliances with Egypt and your covenants with Assyria? What good to you are the streams of the Nile or the waters of the Euphrates River?

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 wickedness will bring its own punishment. Your turning from me will shame you. You will see what an evil, bitter thing it is to abandon the LORD your God and not to fear him. I, the Lord, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!

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“Long ago I broke the yoke that oppressed you and tore away the chains of your slavery, but still you said, ‘I will not serve you.’ On every hill and under every green tree, you have prostituted yourselves by bowing down to idols.

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

21But I was the one who planted you, choosing a vine of the purest stock—the very best. How did you grow into this corrupt 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.

22No amount of soap or lye can make you clean. I still see the stain of your guilt. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken! Israel, an Unfaithful Wife

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“You say, ‘That’s not true! I haven’t worshiped the images of Baal!’ But how can you say that? Go and look in any valley in the land! Face the awful sins you have done. You are like a restless female camel desperately searching for a mate.

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.

24You are like a wild donkey, sniffing the wind at mating time. Who can restrain her lust? Those who desire her don’t need to search, for she goes running to 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.’

25When will you stop running? When will you stop panting after other gods? But you say, ‘Save your breath. I’m in love with these foreign gods, and I can’t stop loving them now!’

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,

26“Israel is like a thief who feels shame only when he gets caught. They, their kings, officials, priests, and prophets— all are alike in this.

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!’

27To an image carved from a piece of wood they say, ‘You are my father.’ To an idol chiseled from a block of stone they say, ‘You are my mother.’ They turn their backs on me, but in times of trouble they cry out to me, ‘Come 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 why not call on these gods you have made? When trouble comes, let them save you if they can! For you have as many gods as there are towns in Judah.

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

29Why do you accuse me of doing wrong? You are the ones who have rebelled,” says 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 punished your children, but they did not respond to my discipline. You yourselves have killed your prophets as a lion kills its prey.

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’?

31“O my people, listen to the words of the LORD! Have I been like a desert to Israel? Have I been to them a land of darkness? Why then do my people say, ‘At last we are free from God! We don’t need him anymore!’

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

32Does a young woman forget her jewelry, or a bride her wedding dress? Yet for years on end my people have forgotten me.

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

33“How you plot and scheme to win your lovers. Even an experienced prostitute could learn from you!

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

34Your clothing is stained with the blood of the innocent and the poor, though you didn’t catch them breaking into your houses!

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.’

35And yet you say, ‘I have done nothing wrong. Surely God isn’t angry with me!’ But now I will punish you severely because you claim you 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.

36First here, then there— you flit from one ally to another asking for help. But your new friends in Egypt will let you down, just as Assyria did before.

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.

37In despair, you will be led into exile with your hands on your heads, for the LORD has rejected the nations you trust. They will not help you at all.

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.

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.