| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1The word of the LORD came to me: | 1This message from the LORD came to me: |
| 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 announce to Jerusalem: 'This is what the LORD says: "I remember the loyal devotion of your youth, your love as a bride. You followed me in the desert, in a land that was not planted. |
| 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 consecrated to the LORD, she was the first fruits of his produce. All who devoured her became guilty and disaster came on them," declares the LORD.'" |
| 4Hear the word of the LORD, house of Jacob and all families of the house of Israel. | 4Listen to this message from the LORD, you descendants of Jacob and all the families of the descendants 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? | 5This is what the LORD says: "What did your ancestors find wrong with me that they left me, and pursued worthless things, and so they 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?" | 6"They didn't ask, 'Where is the LORD who brought us up from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through the land of desert and pits, through the land of dryness and deep darkness, a land that people don't pass through, and where no one lives?' |
| 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. | 7"I brought you into the fruitful land to eat its fruit and its good things. But you came in, defiled my land, and made my inheritance into 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. | 8"The priests didn't say, 'Where is the LORD?' and those handling the Law didn't know me. The rulers transgressed against me, the prophets prophesied by Baal, and they followed that which does 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'll again accuse you," declares the LORD, "and I'll accuse your grandchildren." |
| 10Cross over to Cyprus and take a look. Send someone to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this: | 10"Indeed, go over to the coasts of Cyprus and see, send to Kedar and pay very close attention. See if there has ever been such a thing as this! |
| 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 ever changed gods when they aren't even gods? But my people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit. |
| 12Be horrified at this, heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled. This is the LORD's declaration. | 12Heavens, be appalled at this, be shocked, be utterly devastated," 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. | 13"Indeed, my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." |
| 14Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why else has he become a prey? | 14"Is Israel a slave, or was he born a servant? Why then has he become plunder? |
| 15The young lions have roared at him; they have roared loudly. They have laid waste his land. His cities are in ruins, without inhabitants. | 15Young lions roar at him, they cry out loudly. They have made his land into a wasteland, and his cities are destroyed so they are without inhabitants. |
| 16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have also broken your skull. | 16Also, people from Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken your skull. |
| 17Have you not brought this on yourself by abandoning the LORD your God while He was leading you along the way? | 17You have done this to yourselves, have you not, by forsaking the LORD your God, when he is the one who led you on the way? |
| 18Now what will you gain by traveling along the way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain by traveling along the way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates? | 18Now, what are you doing on the road to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Nile? And 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. Think it over and see 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 Hosts. | 19Your wickedness will be punished, and you will be corrected due to your acts of apostasy. Know and see that it's evil and bitter for you to forsake the LORD your God, but the fear of me is not in you," declares the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies. |
| 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 lie down like a prostitute. | 20"For long ago I broke your yoke and tore off your bonds, But you said, 'I won't serve you!' Instead, on every high hill and under every green tree, you bend down to commit fornication. |
| 21I planted you, a choice vine from the very best seed. How then could you turn into a degenerate, foreign vine? | 21I planted you myself as a choice vine, from the very best seed. How did you turn against me into a degenerate and foreign vine? |
| 22Even if you wash with lye and use a great amount of soap, the stain of your sin 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, | 23"How can you say, 'I'm not defiled. I haven't gone after the Baals.'? Look at what you've done in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift young camel galloping aimlessly; |
| 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 tired; they will find her in her mating season. | 24a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her passion. When she's in heat, who can turn her away? None of the males who pursue her need to tire themselves out, for in her month they'll 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." | 25"Don't run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you say, 'It's hopeless! Because I love foreign gods, I'll go after them!'" |
| 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 disgraced when he's caught, so the house of Israel is disgraced— they, their kings, their princes, 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 birth to me.' They have turned their back to me, but not their faces. In the time of their trouble, they'll say, 'Rise up! Deliver 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. | 28"But where are your gods that you made for yourselves? Let them rise up, if they can deliver you in the time of your trouble. You have as many gods as you have towns, Judah. |
| 29Why do you bring a case against Me? All of you have rebelled against Me. This is the LORD's declaration. | 29Why do you contend with me? You have rebelled 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. | 30"I've punished your children with no results, they have accepted no discipline. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a destroying 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"? | 31"You, generation, pay attention to this message from the LORD! Am I the desert to Israel, or a land of gloom? Why do my people say, 'We're free to roam? We won't come to you anymore.' |
| 32Can a young woman forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for countless days. | 32Will a young woman forget her wedding ornaments, or a bride her attire? But my people have forgotten me days without number. |
| 33How skillfully you pursue love; you also teach evil women your ways. | 33How well you perfect your techniques for seeking love. Therefore you can teach even the most immoral women your techniques. |
| 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 | 34On your skirts is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, even though you didn't catch them breaking in. Yet despite 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'm innocent. Surely his anger has turned away from me.'" "I'm about to bring charges against you because you say, 'I haven't 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. | 36Why do you go about changing your mind so much? You will also be disappointed by Egypt, just as you were disappointed 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. | 37You will also go out from this place with your hands over your heads. For the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust, and you won't prosper through them." |
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