Study Desk

Hear the word of the Lord , you Israelites, because the Lord has a charge^(a) to bring against you who live in the land:^(b) "There is no faithfulness,^(c) no love, no acknowledgment^(d) of God in the land.^(e)

There is only cursing,^[a] lying^(f) and murder,^(g) stealing^(h) and adultery;⁽ⁱ⁾ they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.^(j)

Because of this the land dries up,^(k) and all who live in it waste away;^(l) the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky and the fish in the sea are swept away.^(m)

"But let no one bring a charge, let no one accuse another, for your people are like those who bring charges against a priest.⁽ⁿ⁾

You stumble^(o) day and night, and the prophets stumble with you. So I will destroy your mother^(p)—

my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.^(q) "Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law^(r) of your God, I also will ignore your children.

The more priests there were, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their glorious God^[b](s) for something disgraceful.^(t)

They feed on the sins of my people and relish their wickedness.^(u)

And it will be: Like people, like priests.^(v) I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.^(w)

"They will eat but not have enough;^(x) they will engage in prostitution^(y) but not flourish, because they have deserted^(z) the Lord to give themselves

¹¹to prostitution;^(aa) old wine^(ab) and new wine take away their understanding.^(ac)