| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Hear the word of the LORD, people of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the inhabitants of the land: There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land! | 1"Hear this message from the LORD, people of Israel. Indeed, the LORD brings a charge against the people who live in the land— for there is no truth and no gracious love or knowledge of God in the land. |
| 2Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed follows another. | 2Swearing, lying, murder, theft, and adultery are rampant, and blood mingles with blood. |
| 3For this reason the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes, along with the wild animals and the birds of the sky; even the fish of the sea disappear. | 3Therefore the land will mourn, and all who live there will languish, along with the wild animals of the field and the birds of the air. Even the fish in the sea will disappear. |
| 4But let no one dispute; let no one argue, for My case is against you priests. | 4"Let no one fight or bring charges against another, for my dispute is with you, priest. |
| 5You will stumble by day; the prophet will also stumble with you by night. And I will destroy your mother. | 5So you will stumble during the day, the prophet also will stumble with you at night, and I will destroy your mother. |
| 6My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons. | 6My people are destroyed because they lack knowledge of me. Because you rejected that knowledge, I will reject you as a priest for me. Since you forget the Law of your God, I will also forget your children. |
| 7The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me. I will change their honor into disgrace. | 7"The more they increased in number, the more they sinned against me, so I will change their glory into shame. |
| 8They feed on the sin of My people; they have an appetite for their transgressions. | 8They feed on the sin of my people; they purpose in their heart to transgress. |
| 9The same judgment will happen to both people and priests. I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds. | 9So it will be: like people, like priest. I will punish them for their lifestyles, rewarding them according to their behavior. |
| 10They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have abandoned their devotion to the LORD. | 10They will eat, but will not be satisfied. They will engage in prostitution, but they won't increase, because they have stopped listening to the LORD. |
| 11Promiscuity, wine, and new wine take away one's understanding. | 11"Sexual immorality, wine, and fresh wine seduce the heart of my people. |
| 12My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray; they act promiscuously in disobedience to their God. | 12My people seek counsel from their piece of wood, and their diviner's rod speaks to them. For a spirit of prostitution causes them to go astray; in their immorality they desert their God. |
| 13They sacrifice on the mountaintops, and they burn offerings on the hills, and under oaks, poplars, and terebinths, because their shade is pleasant. And so your daughters act promiscuously and your daughters-in-law commit adultery. | 13They offer sacrifices on the mountain tops, burning offerings on the hills, under oaks, poplars, and terebinth trees, since their shade is very good. Therefore your daughters are prostitutes and your daughters-in-law commit adultery. |
| 14I 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 and make sacrifices with cult prostitutes. People without discernment are doomed. | 14However, I'm not going to punish your daughters when they commit prostitution, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery, because their men are themselves immoral— they offer sacrifices with prostitutes. These people who aren't discerning will stumble. |
| 15Israel, if you act promiscuously, don't let Judah become guilty! Do not go to Gilgal or make a pilgrimage to Beth-aven, and do not swear an oath: As the LORD lives! | 15"Even though you prostitute yourself, Israel— let not Judah incur guilt— don't go to Gilgal, or visit Beth-aven, or swear an oath using the LORD's name. |
| 16For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn cow. Can the LORD now shepherd them like a lamb in an open meadow? | 16For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn mule! Nevertheless, will not the LORD feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture? |
| 17Ephraim is attached to idols; leave him alone! | 17Ephraim has become entwined with idols; leave him alone! |
| 18When their drinking is over, they turn to promiscuity. Israel's leaders fervently love disgrace. | 18While drinking to excess, they prostitute themselves. They're in love with dishonor. |
| 19A wind with its wings will carry them off, and they will be ashamed of their sacrifices. | 19A wind storm will carry them away in its embrace, and their sacrifices will bring them shame." |
|
