Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD (a)
hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because [there
is] no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
(a) Because the people would not obey the admonitions of the Prophets,
he accuses them before the judgmen... [ Continue Reading ]
By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing
adultery, they break out, and (b) blood toucheth blood.
(b) In every place appears a liberality to most wicked vices, so that
one follows right after another.... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet (c) let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people [are]
as they that strive with the priest.
(c) As though he would say that it was in vain to rebuke them, for no
man can endure it: indeed, they will speak against the prophets and
priests whose office it is chiefly to rebuke them.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore shalt thou fall in the (d) day, and the prophet also shall
fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy (e) mother.
(d) You will both perish together as one, because the former would not
obey, and the other, because he would not admonish.
(e) That is, the synagogue in which you bo... [ Continue Reading ]
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because (f) thou hast
rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no
priest to me: seeing (g) thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I
will also forget thy children.
(f) That is, the priests will be cast off, because for lack of
kn... [ Continue Reading ]
As they were (h) increased, so they sinned against me: [therefore]
will I change their glory into shame.
(h) The more I was beneficial to them.... [ Continue Reading ]
(i) They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on
their iniquity.
(i) That is, the priests seek to eat the people's offerings, and
flatter them in their sins.... [ Continue Reading ]
And there shall be, like people, like (k) priest: and I will punish
them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
(k) Signifying that as they have sinned together, so will they be
punished together.... [ Continue Reading ]
For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall (l) commit
whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take
heed to the LORD.
(l) Showing that their wickedness will be punished in all ways: for
even though they think by the multitude of wives to have many
children, yet they... [ Continue Reading ]
(m) Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
(m) In giving themselves to pleasures, they become like brute beasts.... [ Continue Reading ]
My (n) people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth
unto them: for the (o) spirit of whoredoms hath caused [them] to err,
and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
(n) Thus he speaks by derision in calling them his people, who now
because of their sins they were not his pe... [ Continue Reading ]
They 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 (p) commit whoredom, and
your spouses shall commit adultery.
(p) Because they take away God's honour, and give it to... [ Continue Reading ]
I will not (q) 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.
(q) I will not correct your shame to bring you to proper... [ Continue Reading ]
Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, [yet] (r) let not Judah offend;
and come not ye unto (s) Gilgal, neither go ye up to (t) Bethaven, nor
swear, The LORD liveth.
(r) God complains that Judah is infected, and wants them to learn to
return in time.
(s) For even though the Lord had honoured this p... [ Continue Reading ]
For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will
feed them as a (u) lamb in a large place.
(u) God will so disperse them, that they will not remain in any
certain place.... [ Continue Reading ]
Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her
rulers [with] shame do love, (x) Give ye.
(x) They are so shameless in receiving bribes, that they command men
to bring them to them.... [ Continue Reading ]
The wind hath (y) bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed
because of their sacrifices.
(y) To carry them suddenly away.... [ Continue Reading ]