1Hear the word of the Lord, Israelites,

for the Lord has a dispute

with the inhabitants of the land:a

There is no fidelity, no loyalty,

no knowledge of God in the land.

2Swearing, lying, murder,

stealing and adultery break out;*

bloodshed follows bloodshed.b

3Therefore the land dries up,

and everything that dwells in it languishes:

The beasts of the field,

the birds of the air,

and even the fish of the sea perish.c

4But let no one accuse, let no one rebuke;

with you is my dispute, priest!*

5You will stumble in the day,

and the prophet will stumble with you at night;

I will make an end of your mother.*

6My people are ruined for lack of knowledge!

Since you have rejected knowledge,

I will reject you from serving as my priest;

Since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I will also forget your children.

7The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against me,

I will change their glory* into shame.d

8They feed on the sin of my people,

and are greedy for their iniquity.*

9Like people, like priest:e

I will punish them for their ways,

and repay them for their deeds.

10They will eat but not be satisfied,f

they will promote prostitution* but not increase,

Because they have abandoned the Lord,

devoting themselves

11to prostitution.

Aged wine and new wine

take away understanding.g

12My people consult their piece of wood,*

and their wand makes pronouncements for them,

For the spirit of prostitution has led them astray;

they prostitute themselves, forsaking their God.

13On the mountaintops they offer sacrifice

and on the hills they burn incense,

Beneath oak and poplar and terebinth,

because of their pleasant shade.*

Therefore your daughters prostitute themselves,

and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

14I will not punish your daughters for their prostitution,

nor your daughters-in-law for their adultery,

Because the men themselves consort with prostitutes,

and with temple women* they offer sacrifice!

Thus a people without understanding comes to ruin.

15Though you prostitute yourself, Israel,

do not let Judah become guilty!

Do not come to Gilgal,*

do not go up to Beth-aven,h

do not swear, “As the Lord lives!”i

16For like a stubborn cow,

Israel is stubborn;

Will the Lord now pasture them,

like lambs in a broad meadow?

17Ephraim* is bound to idols,

let him alone!

18* When their drinking is over,

they give themselves to prostitution;j

they love shame more than their honor.

19A wind* has bound them up in its wings;k

they shall be ashamed because of their altars.l