The Hebrew Prophets

Cut off have been My people for lack of knowledge, Because thou knowledge hast rejected, I reject thee from being priest to Me, And thou forgettest the law of thy God, I forget thy sons, I also!

According to their abundance so they sinned against Me, Their honour into shame I change.

The sin of My people they do eat, And unto their iniquity lift up their soul.

And it hath been, like people, like priest, And I have charged on it its ways, And its habitual doings I return to it.

And they have eaten, and are not satisfied, They have gone a-whoring, and increase not, For they have left off taking heed to Jehovah.

Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take the heart,

My people at its staff asketh and its rod declareth to it, For a spirit of whoredoms hath caused to err, And they go a-whoring from under their God.

On tops of the mountains they do sacrifice, And on the hills they make perfume, Under oak, and poplar, and terebinth, For good is its shade.

Therefore commit whoredom do your daughters, And your spouses commit adultery, I do not see after your daughters when they commit whoredom, And after your spouses when they commit adultery, For they with the harlots are separated, And with the whores they do sacrifice, A people that doth not understand kicketh.

Though a harlot thou art , O Israel, Let not Judah become guilty, And come not ye in to Gilgal, nor go up to Beth-Aven, Nor swear ye, Jehovah liveth.

For as a refractory heifer hath Israel turned aside, Now doth Jehovah feed them as a lamb in a large place.

Joined to idols is Ephraim, let him alone.

Sour is their drink, They have gone diligently a-whoring, Her protectors have loved shame thoroughly.

Distressed her hath wind with its wings, And they are ashamed of their sacrifices!

`Hear this, O priests, and attend, O house of Israel, And, O house of the king, give ear, For the judgment is for you, For, a snare ye have been on Mizpah, And a net spread out on Tabor.

And to slaughter sinners have gone deep, And I am a fetter to them all.

I have known Ephraim, And Israel hath not been hid from me, For now thou hast gone a-whoring, Ephraim, Defiled is Israel.

They give not up their habitual doings, To turn back unto their God, For a spirit of whoredoms is in their midst, And Jehovah they have not known.

And humbled hath been the excellency of Israel to his face, And Israel and Ephraim stumble by their iniquity, Stumbled also hath Judah with them.

With their flock and with their herd, They go to seek Jehovah, and do not find, He hath withdrawn from them.

Against Jehovah they dealt treacherously, For strange sons they have begotten, Now consume them doth a month with their portions.

Blow ye a cornet in Gibeah, a trumpet in Ramah, Shout, O Beth-Aven, after thee, O Benjamin.

Ephraim is for a desolation in a day of reproof, Among the tribes of Israel I have made known a sure thing.

Princes of Judah have been as those removing a border, On them I do pour out as water My wrath.

Oppressed is Ephraim, broken in judgment, When he pleased he went after the command.