⁴ “Let no one fight or bring charges against another,
    for my dispute is with you, priest.
⁵ So you will stumble during the day,
    the prophet also will stumble with you at night,
        and I will destroy your mother.^[a]
6 My people are destroyed because they lack knowledge of me.^[b]
    Because you rejected that knowledge,
        I will reject you as a priest for me.
Since you forget the Law of your God,
    I will also forget your children.

⁷ “The more they increased in number,^[c]
    the more they sinned against me,
        so I will change their glory into shame.
⁸ They feed on the sin of my people;
    they purpose in their heart to transgress.
⁹ So it will be: like people, like priest.
    I will punish them for their lifestyles,
        rewarding them according to their behavior.
¹⁰ They will eat,
    but will not be satisfied.
They will engage in prostitution,
    but they won’t increase,
        because they have stopped listening to the Lord.

¹¹ “Sexual immorality, wine, and fresh wine seduce the heart of my people.^[d]
12 My people seek counsel from their piece of wood,
    and their diviner’s rod^[e] speaks to them.
For a spirit of prostitution causes them to go astray;
    in their immorality they desert their God.
¹³ They offer sacrifices on the mountain tops,
    burning offerings on the hills,
under oaks, poplars, and terebinth^[f] trees,
    since their shade is very good.
Therefore your daughters are prostitutes
    and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.
¹⁴ However, I’m not going to punish your daughters
    when they commit prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law
    when they commit adultery,
because their men are themselves immoral—
    they offer sacrifices with prostitutes.
These people who aren’t discerning will stumble.

¹⁵ “Even though you prostitute yourself, Israel—
    let not Judah incur guilt—
don’t go to Gilgal,
    or visit Beth-aven,
        or swear an oath using the Lord’s name.^[g]
16 For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn mule!^[h]
    Nevertheless, will not the Lord feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?
¹⁷ Ephraim has become entwined with idols;
    leave him alone!
¹⁸ While drinking to excess, they prostitute themselves.
    They’re in love with dishonor.
¹⁹ A wind storm will carry them away in its embrace,
    and their sacrifices will bring them shame.”