Study Desk

Heare the worde of the Lord, yee children of Israel: for the Lord hath a controuersie with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no trueth, nor mercie, nor knowledge of God in the land.

Yet let no man striue, nor reproue another: for this people are as they that striue with the priest.

My people are destroyed for lacke of knowledge: because thou hast reiected knowledge, I will also reiect thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the lawe of thy God, I wil also forget thy children.

And there shall be like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their wayes, and reward them their doings.

For they shall eate, and not haue enough: they shall commit whordome, and shall not increase, because they haue left off to take heed to the Lord.

My people aske counsel at their stocks, and their staffe declareth vnto them: for the spirit of whordomes hath caused them to erre, and they haue gone a whoring from vnder their God.

I will not punish your daughters when they commit whordome, nor your spouses when they commit adulterie: for themselues are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therfore the people that doth not vnderstand, shall fall.

For Israel slideth backe, as a backe sliding heifer: now the Lord will feede them as a lambe in a large place.

Heare yee this, O priests, and hearken, ye house of Israel, and giue yee eare, O house of the king: for iudgement is toward you, because yee haue beene a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread vpon Tabor.

I know Ephraim, and Israel is not hid from me: for now, O Ephraim, thou committest whordome, and Israel is defiled.

They will not frame their doings to turne vnto their God: for the spirit of whoredomes is in the midst of them, and they haue not knowen the Lord.

They haue dealt treacherously against the Lord: for they haue begotten strange children, now shall a moneth deuoure them with their portions.

For I will bee vnto Ephraim as a Lion, and as a yong Lion to the house of Iudah: I, euen I wil teare and goe away: I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

Come, and let vs returne vnto the Lord: for hee hath torne, and hee will heale vs: he hath smitten, and he will binde vs vp.

O Ephraim, what shall I doe vnto thee? O Iudah, what shall I do vnto thee? For your goodnesse is as a morning cloud, and as the early dew it goeth away.

For I desired mercie, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings.

And as troupes of robbers waite for a man, so the company of priestes murther in the way by consent: for they commit lewdnesse.

Also O Iudah, hee hath set an haruest for thee, when I returned the captiuitie of my people.

When I would haue healed Israel, then the iniquitie of Ephraim was discouered, and the wickednesse of Samaria: for they commit falsehood: and the thiefe commeth in, and the troupe of robbers spoileth without.

For they haue made ready their heart like an ouen, whiles they lie in wait: their baker sleepeth all the night, in the morning it burneth as a flaming fire.