Study Desk

Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel: for the Lord has a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.

And I will not visit upon your daughters when they shall commit fornication, nor your daughters-in-law when they shall commit adultery: for they themselves mingled themselves with harlots, and sacrificed with polluted ones, and the people that understood not entangled itself with a harlot.

For Israel was maddened like a mad heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a wide place.

Hear these things, ye priests; and attend, O house of Israel; and hearken, O house of the king; for the controversy is with you, because ye have been a snare in Scopia, and as a net spread on Itabyrium,

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not far from me: for now Ephraim has gone grievously a-whoring, Israel is defiled.

They have not framed their counsels to return to their God, for the spirit of fornication is in them, and they have not known the Lord.

They shall go with sheep and calves diligently to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him, for he has withdrawn himself from them.

For they have forsaken the Lord; for strange children have been born to them: now shall the cankerworm devour them and their heritages.

Ephraim altogether prevailed against his adversary, he trod judgment under foot, for he began to go after vanities.

In their affliction they will seek me early, saying, Let us go, and return to the Lord our God; for he has torn, and will heal us;

For I will have mercy rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than whole-burnt-offerings.

And thy strength is that of a robber: the priests have hid the way, they have murdered the people of Sicima; for they have wrought iniquity in the house of Israel.

When I have healed Israel, then shall the iniquity of Ephraim be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria; for they have wrought falsehood: and a thief shall come in to him, even a robber spoiling in his way;

They are all adulterers, as an oven glowing with flame for hot-baking, on account of the kneading of the dough, until it is leavened.

And the pride of Israel shall be brought down before his face: yet they have not returned to the Lord their God, neither have they diligently sought him for all this.

Woe to them! for they have started aside from me: they are cowards; for they have sinned against me: yet I redeemed them, but they spoke falsehoods against me.

And their hearts did not cry to me, but they howled on their beds: they pined for oil and wine.

For Israel has turned away from good things; they have pursued an enemy.

They have made kings for themselves, but not by me: they have ruled, but they did not make it known to me: of their silver and their gold they have made images to themselves, that they might be destroyed.

for they sowed blighted seed, and their destruction shall await them, a sheaf of corn that avails not to make meal; and even if it should produce it, strangers shall devour it.