1 People|strong="H1121" of|strong="H1121" Israel|strong="H3478", listen|strong="H8085" to|strong="H0369" the|strong="H3588" LORD’S|strong="H3068" message|strong="H1697". The|strong="H3588" LORD|strong="H3068" has|strong="H3068" something|strong="H1697" to|strong="H0369" say|strong="H3478" against|strong="H5973" those|strong="H1121" who|strong="H3068" live|strong="H3427" in|strong="H3427" this|strong="H3588" land|strong="H0776": “The|strong="H3588" people|strong="H1121" in|strong="H3427" this|strong="H3588" land|strong="H0776" are|strong="H3478" not|strong="H0369" honest|strong="H2617" or|strong="H0369" loyal|strong="H3068". They|strong="H3588" don’t|strong="H0369" really|strong="H0571" know|strong="H1847" God|strong="H0430".
2 They|strong="H5003" are|strong="H1818" always cursing, lying|strong="H3584", killing|strong="H1818", stealing|strong="H1589", and|strong="H1818" committing|strong="H5003" adultery|strong="H5003". They|strong="H5003" murder|strong="H7523" one person|strong="H1818" after another|strong="H1818".
3 So|strong="H3651" the|strong="H3605" country|strong="H0776" is|strong="H0776" like|strong="H3651" someone crying for|strong="H5921" the|strong="H3605" dead, and|strong="H0776" all|strong="H3605" of|strong="H0776" its|strong="H3605" people|strong="H3427" are|strong="H8064" weak|strong="H3605". Even|strong="H1571" the|strong="H3605" animals|strong="H2416" of|strong="H0776" the|strong="H3605" field|strong="H7704", the|strong="H3605" birds|strong="H5775" of|strong="H0776" the|strong="H3605" sky|strong="H8064", and|strong="H0776" the|strong="H3605" fish|strong="H1709" in|strong="H3427" the|strong="H3605" sea|strong="H3220" are|strong="H8064" dying.
4 No|strong="H0408" one|strong="H0376" should|strong="H0376" argue|strong="H3198" or|strong="H0408" blame another|strong="H0376" person|strong="H0376". Priests|strong="H3548", my|strong="H7378" argument|strong="H3198" is|strong="H0376" with|strong="H0376" you|strong="H0389"!
5 You|strong="H3117" priests will|strong="H1571" fall|strong="H3782" in|strong="H3117" the|strong="H3117" daytime. And|strong="H3117" at|strong="H3117" night|strong="H3915" the|strong="H3117" prophet|strong="H5030" will|strong="H1571" also|strong="H1571" fall|strong="H3782" with|strong="H5973" you|strong="H3117". I|strong="H3117" will|strong="H1571" also|strong="H1571" destroy|strong="H1820" your|strong="H1571" mother|strong="H0517".
6 “My|strong="H3588" people|strong="H5971" are|strong="H1121" destroyed|strong="H1820" because|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" have|strong="H1571" no|strong="H1097" knowledge|strong="H1847". You|strong="H0859" priests|strong="H3547" have|strong="H1571" refused to|strong="H0430" learn, so|strong="H1571" I|strong="H0589" will|strong="H0430" refuse to|strong="H0430" let|strong="H3988" you|strong="H0859" be|strong="H1571" priests|strong="H3547" for|strong="H3588" me|strong="H0589". You|strong="H0859" have|strong="H1571" forgotten|strong="H7911" the|strong="H3588" law|strong="H8451" of|strong="H1121" your|strong="H3588" God|strong="H0430", so|strong="H1571" I|strong="H0589" will|strong="H0430" forget|strong="H7911" your|strong="H3588" children|strong="H1121".
7 They|strong="H3651" became proud. They|strong="H3651" sinned|strong="H2398" more|strong="H3651" and|strong="H2398" more|strong="H3651" against|strong="H2398" me|strong="H2398", so|strong="H3651" I|strong="H3651" will|strong="H2398" change|strong="H4171" their|strong="H4171" honor|strong="H3519" to shame|strong="H7036".
8 “The|strong="H0413" priests fed|strong="H0398" on|strong="H0413" the|strong="H0413" people’s|strong="H5971" sins|strong="H2403". They|strong="H5971" wanted more|strong="H5315" and|strong="H0398" more|strong="H5315" of|strong="H5315" their|strong="H5375" sin|strong="H2403" offerings.
9 So|strong="H1961" the|strong="H5921" priests|strong="H3548" are|strong="H1870" no different from|strong="H7725" the|strong="H5921" people|strong="H5971". I|strong="H5921" will|strong="H1961" punish|strong="H6485" them|strong="H5921" for|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" things|strong="H1961" they|strong="H5921" did. I|strong="H5921" will|strong="H1961" pay|strong="H7725" them|strong="H5921" back|strong="H7725" for|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" wrong things|strong="H1961" they|strong="H5921" did.
10 They|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" eat|strong="H0398", but|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" not|strong="H3808" be|strong="H3808" satisfied|strong="H7646". They|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" commit|strong="H2181" sexual sins, but|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" will|strong="H3068" not|strong="H3808" have|strong="H7646" babies. This|strong="H3588" is|strong="H3068" because|strong="H3588" they|strong="H3588" left|strong="H5800" the|strong="H0853" LORD|strong="H3068" and|strong="H3068" became|strong="H6555" like|strong="H3808" prostitutes|strong="H2181".
11 “Sexual|strong="H3947" sins, strong drink, and|strong="H3196" new|strong="H8492" wine|strong="H3196" ruin a|strong="H3947" person’s|strong="H3820" ability to|strong="H3820" think|strong="H3820" straight.
12 My|strong="H3588" people|strong="H5971" are|strong="H0430" asking|strong="H7592" pieces of|strong="H0430" wood|strong="H6086" for|strong="H3588" advice. They|strong="H3588" think those|strong="H3588" sticks|strong="H6086" will|strong="H0430" answer them|strong="H8478"! They|strong="H3588" have|strong="H3588" chased after|strong="H3588" those|strong="H3588" false gods|strong="H0430" like|strong="H8478" prostitutes|strong="H2181" and|strong="H0430" have|strong="H3588" left their|strong="H3588" own God|strong="H0430".
13 They|strong="H3588" make|strong="H3588" sacrifices|strong="H6999" on|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" tops|strong="H7218" of|strong="H1323" the|strong="H5921" mountains|strong="H2022" and|strong="H7218" burn|strong="H6999" incense|strong="H6999" on|strong="H5921" the|strong="H5921" hills|strong="H1389" under|strong="H8478" oak|strong="H0424" trees, poplar|strong="H3839" trees, and|strong="H7218" elm trees. The|strong="H5921" shade|strong="H6738" under|strong="H8478" those|strong="H5921" trees looks nice|strong="H2896". So|strong="H3651" your|strong="H5921" daughters|strong="H1323" lie under|strong="H8478" those|strong="H5921" trees like|strong="H3651" prostitutes|strong="H2181", and|strong="H7218" your|strong="H5921" daughters-in-law|strong="H3618" commit|strong="H5003" sexual sins.
14 “I|strong="H3588" cannot|strong="H3808" blame your|strong="H5921" daughters|strong="H1323" or|strong="H3808" your|strong="H5921" daughters-in-law|strong="H3618" for|strong="H3588" doing this|strong="H3588", because|strong="H3588" your|strong="H5921" men|strong="H5971" go|strong="H6504" and|strong="H1323" have|strong="H1323" sex with|strong="H5973" the|strong="H5921" temple prostitutes|strong="H2181" and|strong="H1323" offer|strong="H2076" sacrifices|strong="H2076" with|strong="H5973" them|strong="H1992". This|strong="H3588" is|strong="H1323" how|strong="H3588" foolish people|strong="H5971" destroy themselves|strong="H1992".
15 “Israel|strong="H3478", just because|strong="H2181" you|strong="H0859" act like|strong="H3478" a|strong="H0518" prostitute|strong="H2181" doesn’t mean that|strong="H3068" Judah|strong="H3063" should|strong="H0518" feel guilty|strong="H0816" too. People|strong="H0408", don’t|strong="H0408" go|strong="H0935" to|strong="H0935" Gilgal|strong="H1537" or|strong="H0518" Beth Aven. Don’t|strong="H0408" use the|strong="H0935" Lord’s|strong="H3068" name|strong="H0518" to|strong="H0935" make promises|strong="H7650". Don’t|strong="H0408" say|strong="H3478", ‘As|strong="H0935" the|strong="H0935" LORD|strong="H3068" lives|strong="H2416" …!’
16 The|strong="H3588" LORD|strong="H3068" has|strong="H3068" given many things|strong="H3478" to|strong="H3068" Israel|strong="H3478". He|strong="H3588" is|strong="H3068" like|strong="H3478" a|strong="H3588" shepherd|strong="H7462" who|strong="H3068" takes his|strong="H3068" sheep|strong="H3532" to|strong="H3068" a|strong="H3588" large|strong="H4800" field|strong="H4800" with|strong="H3068" plenty of|strong="H3068" grass. But|strong="H3588" Israel|strong="H3478" is|strong="H3068" stubborn|strong="H5637" like|strong="H3478" a|strong="H3588" young cow|strong="H6510" that|strong="H3588" runs away again and|strong="H3068" again.
17 “Ephraim|strong="H0669" has|strong="H0669" joined|strong="H2266" his idols|strong="H6091", so leave|strong="H3240" him alone.
18 Ephraim has joined their|strong="H5493" drunkenness. Let them|strong="H0157" continue to|strong="H0157" be prostitutes|strong="H2181". Let them|strong="H0157" be with|strong="H0157" their|strong="H5493" lovers|strong="H0157".
19 They|strong="H0954" went to|strong="H0954" those|strong="H0853" gods for|strong="H2077" safety, and|strong="H0954" they|strong="H0954" have lost their ability to|strong="H0954" think. Their altars will|strong="H7307" bring them|strong="H0853" shame|strong="H0954".