American Standard Version ASV
Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
1 And the word of Jehovah came to me, saying,
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The word of the Lord came to me:
2 Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith Jehovah, I remember for thee the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals; how thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.
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"Go and announce directly to Jerusalem that this is what the Lord says: I remember the loyalty of your youth, your love as a bride- how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown.
3 Israel [was] holiness unto Jehovah, the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall be held guilty; evil shall come upon them, saith Jehovah.
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Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of His harvest. All who ate of it found themselves guilty; disaster came on them." [This is] the Lord's declaration.
4 Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:
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Hear the word of the Lord, house of Jacob and all families of the house of Israel.
5 thus saith Jehovah, What unrighteousness have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?
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Here is what the Lord says: What fault did your fathers find in Me that they went so far from Me, followed worthless idols, and became worthless themselves?
6 Neither said they, Where is Jehovah that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought and of the shadow of death, through a land that none passed through, and where no man dwelt?
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They stopped asking: Where is the Lord who brought us from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, through a land of drought and darkness, a land no one traveled through and where no one lived?
7 And I brought you into a plentiful land, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.
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I brought you to a fertile land to eat its fruit and bounty, but after you entered, you defiled My land; you made My inheritance detestable.
8 The priests said not, Where is Jehovah? and they that handle the law knew me not: the rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.
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The priests quit asking: Where is the Lord? The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the rulers rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.
9 Wherefore I will yet contend with you, saith Jehovah, and with your children's children will I contend.
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Therefore, I will bring a case against you again. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration. I will bring a case against your children's children.
10 For pass over to the isles of Kittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently; and see if there hath been such a thing.
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Cross over to Cyprusand take a look. Send [someone] to Kedar and consider carefully; see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Hath a nation changed [its] gods, which yet are no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.
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Has a nation [ever] exchanged its gods? (but they were not gods!) Yet My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.
12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith Jehovah.
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Be horrified at this, heavens; be shocked and utterly appalled. [This is] the Lord's declaration.
13 For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
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For My people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.
14 Is Israel a servant? is he a home-born [slave]? why is he become a prey?
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Is Israel a slave? Was he born into slavery? Why else has he become a prey?
15 The young lions have roared upon him, and yelled; and they have made his land waste: his cities are burned up, without inhabitant.
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The young lions have roared at him; they have roared loudly. They have laid waste his land. His cities are in ruins, without inhabitants.
16 The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes have broken the crown of thy head.
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The men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have also broken your skull.
17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, when he led thee by the way?
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Have you not brought this on yourself by abandoning the Lord your God while He was leading you along the way?
18 And now what hast thou to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? or what hast thou to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?
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Now what will you gain by traveling along the way to Egypt to drink the waters of the Nile? What will you gain by traveling along the way to Assyria to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts.
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Your own evil will discipline you; your own apostasies will reprimand you. Think it over and see how evil and bitter it is for you to abandon the Lord your God and to have no fear of Me. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the declaration of the Lord God of Hosts.
20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bonds; and thou saidst, I will not serve; for upon every high hill and under every green tree thou didst bow thyself, playing the harlot.
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For long ago I broke your yoke; I tore off your fetters. You insisted: I will not serve! On every high hill and under every leafy tree you lie down [like] a prostitute.
21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine unto me?
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I planted you, a choice vine from the very best seed. How then could you turn into a degenerate, foreign vine?
22 For though thou wash thee with lye, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord Jehovah.
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Even if you wash with lye and use a great amount of soap, the stain of your guilt is still in front of Me. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord God 's declaration.
23 How canst thou say, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: [thou art] a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
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How can you protest: I am not defiled; I have not followed the Baals? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. [You are] a swift young camel twisting and turning on her way,
24 a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind in her desire; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.
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a wild donkey at home in the wilderness. She sniffs the wind in the heat of her desire. Who can control her passion? All who look for her will not become tired; they will find her in her mating season.
25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, It is in vain; no, for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.
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Keep your feet from going bare and your throat from thirst. But you say: It's hopeless; I love strangers, and I will continue to follow them.
26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets;
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Like the shame of a thief when he is caught, so the house of Israel has been put to shame. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets
27 who say to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face; but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.
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say to a tree: You are my father, and to a stone: You gave birth to me. For they have turned their back to Me and not their face, but in their time of disaster they beg: Rise up and save us!
28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.
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But where are your gods you made for yourself? Let them rise up and save you in your time of disaster if they can, for your gods are as numerous as your cities, Judah.
29 Wherefore will ye contend with me? ye all have transgressed against me, saith Jehovah.
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Why do you bring a case against Me? All of you have rebelled against Me. [This is]*The bracketed text has been added for clarity. the Lord's declaration.
30 In vain have I smitten your children; they received no correction: your own sword hath devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.
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I have struck down your children in vain; they would not accept discipline. Your own sword has devoured your prophets like a ravaging lion.
31 O generation, see ye the word of Jehovah. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? or a land of thick darkness? wherefore say my people, We are broken loose; we will come no more unto thee?
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[Evil] generation, pay attention to the word of the Lord! Have I been a wilderness to Israel or a land of dense darkness? Why do My people claim: We will go where we want; we will no longer come to You?
32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number.
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Can a young woman forget her jewelry or a bride her wedding sash? Yet My people have forgotten Me for countless days.
33 How trimmest thou thy way to seek love! therefore even the wicked women hast thou taught thy ways.
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How skillfully you pursue love; you also teach evil women your ways.
34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor: thou didst not find them breaking in; but it is because of all these things.
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Moreover, your skirts are stained with the blood of the innocent poor. You did not catch them breaking and entering. But in spite of all these things
35 Yet thou saidst, I am innocent; surely his anger is turned away from me. Behold, I will enter into judgment with thee, because thou sayest, I have not sinned.
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you claim: I am innocent. His anger is sure to turn away from me. But I will certainly judge you because you have said: I have not sinned.
36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou shalt be ashamed of Egypt also, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria.
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How unstable you are, constantly changing your way! You will be put to shame by Egypt just as you were put to shame by Assyria.
37 From thence also shalt thou go forth, with thy hands upon thy head: for Jehovah hath rejected those in whom thou trustest, and thou shalt not prosper with them.
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Moreover, you will be led out from here with your hands on your head since the Lord has rejected those you trust; you will not succeed even with their help.
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Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.