The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
King James Version KJV
1 Hear the word of ADONAI, people of Isra'el! For ADONAI has a grievance against the inhabitants of the land: there is no truth, no faithful love or knowledge of God in the land;
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Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
2 only swearing and lying, killing and stealing and committing adultery! They break all bounds, with one blood crime following another.
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By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.
3 Therefore the land mourns, and everyone living there languishes, wild animals too, and the birds in the air; even the fish in the sea are removed.
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Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
4 But no one should quarrel or rebuke, because your people are having to quarrel with the cohen.
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Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
5 Therefore you will stumble by day, and the prophet will stumble with you at night. "I will destroy your mother.
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Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.
6 My people are destroyed for want of knowledge. Because you rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as cohen for me. Because you forgot the Torah of your God, I will also forget your children.
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My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
7 The more they increased in number, the more they sinned against me. I will change their glory into shame.
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As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of my people and are greedy for their crimes.
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They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.
9 But the cohen will fare no better than the people; I will punish him for his ways and pay him back for his deeds.
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And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.
10 They will eat but not have enough and consort with whores but have no children, because they stopped listening to ADONAI.
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For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
11 Whoring and wine, both old and new, take away my people's wits.
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Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
12 My people consult their piece of wood, their diviner's wand speaks to them; for the spirit of whoring makes them err, they go off whoring, deserting their God.
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My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
13 They sacrifice on the mountain peaks and offer incense on the hills under oaks, poplars and pistachio trees; because they give good shade. Therefore your daughters behave like whores, And your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
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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 commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
14 I won't punish your daughters when they act like whores, or your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery; because the men are themselves going off with whores and sacrificing with prostitutes. Yes, a people without understanding will come to ruin."
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I will not 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.
15 If you, Isra'el, prostitute yourself, still Y'hudah has no need to incur such guilt. Don't go to Gilgal or up to Beit-Aven, and don't swear, "As ADONAI lives."
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Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
16 For Isra'el is stubborn as a stubborn cow; will ADONAI now feed them like a lamb in a big pasture?
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For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
17 Efrayim is joined to idols; let him alone!
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Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
18 When they finish carousing, they start their whoring; their rulers deeply love dishonor.
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Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.
19 The wind will carry them off in its wings and their sacrifices bring them nothing but shame.
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The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The King James Version is in the public domain.