1 H ear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Listen to the Word of the Lord, O people of Israel, because He has something against the people of the land. “They are not faithful or kind, and no one in the land knows God.

2 B y swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

There is swearing, lying, killing, stealing, and sex sins. They are always hurting others, and there is one killing after another.

3 T herefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

The land is filled with sorrow. Everyone who lives on it wastes away, together with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky. Even the fish of the sea are taken away.

4 Y et let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

“Yet let no one put blame or guilt upon another. For your people are like those who argue with the religious leader.

5 T herefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

You will fall during the day, and the religious leaders will fall with you during the night. And I will destroy your mother.

6 M y people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

My people are destroyed because they have not learned. You were not willing to learn. So I am not willing to have you be My religious leader. Since you have forgotten the Law of your God, I also will forget your children.

7 A s they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

“The more there were, the more they sinned against Me. I will change their shining-greatness into shame.

8 T hey eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

They feed on the sin of My people, and so they want them to sin more.

9 A nd there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.

The religious leaders will be punished the same as the people. I will punish them for what they have done.

10 F or they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord.

They will eat, but not have enough. They will do sex sins, but the number of their children will not grow because they have not been faithful to the Lord. The Worship of False Gods

11 W horedom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

“Their sinful ways and both old and new wine take away My people’s understanding.

12 M y people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

They ask things of a wooden god and are answered by a stick of wood. A false spirit has led them the wrong way. They have not been faithful, and they have left their God.

13 T hey sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

They give gifts in worship on the tops of the mountains and burn special perfume on the hills. They do this under oak, poplar and terebinth trees, because their shadow is pleasing. So your daughters are like women who sell the use of their bodies, and your brides do sex sins.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

I will not punish your daughters when they are like women who sell the use of their bodies, or your brides when they do sex sins. For the men themselves go with the sinful women to give gifts in worship to false gods. And people without understanding will be destroyed.

15 T hough thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The Lord liveth.

“Even if you, Israel, are like women who sell the use of their bodies, do not let Judah become guilty. Do not go to Gilgal or up to Beth-aven. And do not swear, ‘As the Lord lives!’

16 F or Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

The people of Israel are strong-willed like a young cow. How then can the Lord feed them like a lamb in a large field?

17 E phraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

Ephraim is joined to false gods. Let him alone.

18 T heir drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

Their strong drink is gone. They are like women who sell the use of their bodies all the time. Their rulers love shame.

19 T he wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

The wind will carry them away, and they will be ashamed because they gave gifts to false gods.