| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, | 1Now the word of the LORD came to me, saying, |
| 2“Go and cry in the hearing of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I remember you, The kindness of your youth, The love of your betrothal, When you went after 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 holiness to the LORD, The firstfruits of His increase. All that devour him will offend; Disaster will come upon them,” says 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 families 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 injustice have your fathers found in Me, That they have gone far from Me, Have followed idols, And have become idolaters? | 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? |
| 6Neither did they say, ‘Where is the LORD, Who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, Who led us through the wilderness, Through a land of deserts and pits, Through a land of drought and the shadow of death, Through a land that no one crossed And where no one dwelt?’ | 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?’ |
| 7I brought you into a bountiful country, To eat its fruit and its goodness. But when you entered, 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?’ And those who handle the law did not know Me; The rulers also transgressed against Me; The prophets prophesied by Baal, And walked 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 will yet bring charges against you,” says the LORD, “And against your children’s children I will bring charges. | 9Therefore, I will contend with you again, declares the LORD, and I will bring a case against your children’s children. |
| 10For pass beyond the coasts of Cyprus and see, Send to Kedar and consider diligently, And 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, Which are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory For what 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 astonished, O heavens, at this, And be horribly afraid; Be very desolate,” says the LORD. | 12Be stunned by this, O heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled,” declares the LORD. |
| 13“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns—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 servant? Is he a homeborn slave? Why is he plundered? | 14Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why then has he become prey? |
| 15The young lions roared at him, and growled; They made his land waste; His cities are burned, 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. |
| 16Also the people of Noph and Tahpanhes Have broken the crown of your head. | 16The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have shaved the crown of your head. |
| 17Have you not brought this on yourself, In that you have forsaken 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 why take the road to Egypt, To drink the waters of Sihor? Or why take the road to Assyria, To drink the waters of the River? | 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 own wickedness will correct you, And your backslidings will rebuke you. Know therefore and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That you have forsaken the LORD your God, And the fear of Me is not in you,” Says 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 of old I have broken your yoke and burst your bonds; And you said, ‘I will not transgress,’ When on every high hill and under every green tree You lay down, playing the harlot. | 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 had planted you a noble vine, a seed of highest quality. How then have you turned before Me Into the degenerate plant of an alien 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? |
| 22For though you wash yourself with lye, and use much soap, Yet your iniquity is marked before Me,” says 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. |
| 23“How can you say, ‘I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley; Know what you have done: You are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways, | 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, That sniffs at the wind in her desire; In her time of mating, who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not 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. |
| 25Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘There is no hope. No! For I have loved aliens, 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 the thief is ashamed when he is found out, So is the house of Israel ashamed; They and their kings and their princes, and 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 |
| 27Saying 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. But in the time of their trouble They will 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 have made for yourselves? Let them arise, If they can save you in the time of your trouble; For according to the number of 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 will you plead with Me? You all have transgressed against Me,” says the LORD. | 29Why do you bring a case against Me? You have all rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD. |
| 30“In vain I have chastened your children; They received no correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion. | 30“I have struck your sons in vain; they accepted no discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a voracious lion.” |
| 31“O generation, see the word of the LORD! Have I been a wilderness to Israel, Or a land of darkness? Why do My people say, ‘We are lords; 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“Why do you beautify your way to seek love? Therefore you have also taught The wicked women 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 blood of the lives of the poor innocents. I have not found it by secret search, But plainly on 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 |
| 35Yet you say, ‘Because I am innocent, Surely His anger shall turn from me.’ Behold, I will plead My case against you, Because you say, ‘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.’ |
| 36Why do you gad about so much to change your way? Also you shall be ashamed of Egypt as you were ashamed of Assyria. | 36How unstable you are, constantly changing your ways! You will be disappointed by Egypt just as you were by Assyria. |
| 37Indeed you will go forth from him With your hands on your head; For the LORD has rejected your trusted allies, 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.” |
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