Study Desk

^(C1)Listen to the word of the LORD, you sons of Israel, Because the LORD has a ^(C2)case against the inhabitants of the land, For there is ^(C3)no ^(F1)faithfulness, nor ^(F2)loyalty, Nor ^(C4)knowledge of God in the land.

There is ^(C1)oath-taking, ^(F1)(C2)denial, ^(C3)murder, ^(C4)stealing, and ^(C5)adultery. They employ violence, so that ^(C6)bloodshed ^(F2)follows bloodshed.

Therefore the land ^(C1)mourns, And everyone who lives in it languishes Along with the animals of the field and the birds of the sky, And even the fish of the sea ^(F1)disappear.

Yet let no one ^(F1)(C1)find fault, and let no one rebuke; For your people are like those who ^(C2)contend with a priest.

So you will ^(C1)stumble by day, And the prophet also will stumble with you by night; And I will destroy your ^(C2)mother.

^(C1)My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Since you have ^(C2)rejected knowledge, I also will ^(C3)reject you from being My priest. Since you have ^(C4)forgotten the ^(C5)Law of your God, I also will forget your children.

The more they ^(C1)multiplied, the more they sinned against Me; I will ^(C2)change their glory into shame.

They ^(C1)feed on the ^(F1)sin of My people, And ^(C2)long for their wrongdoing.

And it will be, like people, ^(C1)like priest; So I will ^(C2)punish them for their ways And repay them for their deeds.

^(C1)They will eat, but not have enough; They will ^(C2)play the prostitute, but not ^(F1)increase, Because they ^(C3)gave up devoting themselves to the LORD.

^(F1)Infidelity, ^(C1)wine, and new wine take away the ^(F2)understanding.

My people ^(C1)consult their wooden idol, and their diviner's wand informs them; For a spirit of infidelity has led them astray, And they have been unfaithful, departing ^(F1)from their God.

They offer sacrifices on the ^(C1)tops of the mountains And ^(F1)(C2)burn incense on the hills, ^(C3)Under oak, poplar, and terebinth, Because their shade is pleasant. Therefore your daughters play the prostitute, And your ^(F2)brides commit adultery.

I will not punish your daughters when they play the prostitute, Or your ^(F1)brides when they commit adultery, Because the men themselves slip away with the prostitutes And offer sacrifices with ^(C1)temple prostitutes; So the people without understanding are ruined.

Though you, Israel, play the prostitute, Judah must not become guilty; Also you are not to go to ^(C1)Gilgal, Nor go up to Beth-aven ^(C2)And take the oath: "As the LORD lives!"

Since Israel is ^(C1)stubborn Like a stubborn cow, ^(F1)Will the LORD now ^(C2)pasture them Like a lamb in a large field?

Ephraim is allied with ^(C1)idols; ^(C2)Leave him alone.

Their liquor is gone, They prostitute themselves continually; ^(F1)(C1)Their ^(F2)rulers dearly love shame.

^(C1)The wind wraps them in its wings, And they will be ^(F1)put to shame because of their sacrifices.