1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye sons of Israel; for the LORD contends with the inhabitants of the land because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the earth. 2 By swearing and lying and murdering and stealing and committing adultery, they prevailed, and blood touches blood. 3 Therefore the earth shall mourn, and every one that dwells therein shall be cut off, with the beasts of the field and the fowls of heaven; and even the fishes of the sea shall be caught.
4 Certainly man does not contend with nor reprehend man; for thy people are as those that resist the priest. 5 Therefore thou shalt fall in the day, and the prophet shall also fall with thee by night, and I will cut off thy mother. 6 My people were cut off because they lacked wisdom; because thou hast rejected wisdom, I will cast thee out of the priesthood; seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy sons.
7 According to their greatness, so did they sin against me; therefore I will change their honour into shame. 8 They eat up the sin of my people, and in their iniquity they raise up their soul. 9 The people shall become like the priest; and I will visit his ways upon him, and they shall reward him according to his doings. 10 For they shall eat and not be satisfied; they shall commit whoredom and shall not increase because they have quit showing hospitality unto the LORD. 11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart. 12 My people ask counsel of their wooden idol, and their stick declares unto them; for the spirit of whoredoms has caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring under their gods. 13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, that had good shade; therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your daughters-in-law shall commit adultery. 14 I will not visit upon your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor upon your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery: for they offer with whores, and they sacrifice with cult prostitutes; therefore the people without understanding shall fall.
15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah be guilty; and do not come unto Gilgal, neither go up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD lives, 16 for Israel has turned away as a wild heifer; shall the LORD now feed them as rams in a large place?
17 Ephraim is given over to idols; leave him. 18 Their drink has become corrupted; they have committed whoredom continually; her princes love gifts, shamefully. 19 The wind has bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.