Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi,(A) who sinned,(B) this man(C) or his parents,(D) that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.(E) As long as it is day,(F) we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”(G)

After saying this, he spit(H) on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam”(I) (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.(J)

His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?”(K) Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”(L)

12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

The Pharisees Investigate the Healing

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.(M) 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight.(N) “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”(O)

But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?”(P) So they were divided.(Q)

17 Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”(R)

18 They(S) still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders,(T) who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out(U) of the synagogue.(V) 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”(W)

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,”(X) they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”(Y)

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27 He answered, “I have told you already(Z) and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses!(AA) 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”(AB)

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will.(AC) 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God,(AD) he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth;(AE) how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.(AF)

Spiritual Blindness

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe(AG) in the Son of Man?”(AH)

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”(AI)

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”(AJ)

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.(AK)

39 Jesus said,[a] “For judgment(AL) I have come into this world,(AM) so that the blind will see(AN) and those who see will become blind.”(AO)

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”(AP)

41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.(AQ)

Footnotes

  1. John 9:39 Some early manuscripts do not have Then the man said … 39 Jesus said.

And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.

And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

The neighbours therefore, and they which before had seen him that he was blind, said, Is not this he that sat and begged?

Some said, This is he: others said, He is like him: but he said, I am he.

10 Therefore said they unto him, How were thine eyes opened?

11 He answered and said, A man that is called Jesus made clay, and anointed mine eyes, and said unto me, Go to the pool of Siloam, and wash: and I went and washed, and I received sight.

12 Then said they unto him, Where is he? He said, I know not.

13 They brought to the Pharisees him that aforetime was blind.

14 And it was the sabbath day when Jesus made the clay, and opened his eyes.

15 Then again the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. He said unto them, He put clay upon mine eyes, and I washed, and do see.

16 Therefore said some of the Pharisees, This man is not of God, because he keepeth not the sabbath day. Others said, How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them.

17 They say unto the blind man again, What sayest thou of him, that he hath opened thine eyes? He said, He is a prophet.

18 But the Jews did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight.

19 And they asked them, saying, Is this your son, who ye say was born blind? how then doth he now see?

20 His parents answered them and said, We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind:

21 But by what means he now seeth, we know not; or who hath opened his eyes, we know not: he is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.

22 These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that he was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue.

23 Therefore said his parents, He is of age; ask him.

24 Then again called they the man that was blind, and said unto him, Give God the praise: we know that this man is a sinner.

25 He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes?

27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would ye hear it again? will ye also be his disciples?

28 Then they reviled him, and said, Thou art his disciple; but we are Moses' disciples.

29 We know that God spake unto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.

30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.

31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind.

33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.

34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out.

35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?

36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him?

37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee.

38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him.

39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

40 And some of the Pharisees which were with him heard these words, and said unto him, Are we blind also?

41 Jesus said unto them, If ye were blind, ye should have no sin: but now ye say, We see; therefore your sin remaineth.

The Division of the Land

48 “These are the tribes, listed by name: At the northern frontier, Dan(A) will have one portion; it will follow the Hethlon road(B) to Lebo Hamath;(C) Hazar Enan and the northern border of Damascus next to Hamath will be part of its border from the east side to the west side.

“Asher(D) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Dan from east to west.

“Naphtali(E) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Asher from east to west.

“Manasseh(F) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Naphtali from east to west.

“Ephraim(G) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Manasseh(H) from east to west.(I)

“Reuben(J) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Ephraim from east to west.

“Judah(K) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Reuben from east to west.

“Bordering the territory of Judah from east to west will be the portion you are to present as a special gift. It will be 25,000 cubits[a] wide, and its length from east to west will equal one of the tribal portions; the sanctuary will be in the center of it.(L)

“The special portion you are to offer to the Lord will be 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits[b] wide.(M) 10 This will be the sacred portion for the priests. It will be 25,000 cubits long on the north side, 10,000 cubits wide on the west side, 10,000 cubits wide on the east side and 25,000 cubits long on the south side. In the center of it will be the sanctuary of the Lord.(N) 11 This will be for the consecrated priests, the Zadokites,(O) who were faithful in serving me(P) and did not go astray as the Levites did when the Israelites went astray.(Q) 12 It will be a special gift to them from the sacred portion of the land, a most holy portion, bordering the territory of the Levites.

13 “Alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites will have an allotment 25,000 cubits long and 10,000 cubits wide. Its total length will be 25,000 cubits and its width 10,000 cubits.(R) 14 They must not sell or exchange any of it. This is the best of the land and must not pass into other hands, because it is holy to the Lord.(S)

15 “The remaining area, 5,000 cubits[c] wide and 25,000 cubits long, will be for the common use of the city, for houses and for pastureland. The city will be in the center of it 16 and will have these measurements: the north side 4,500 cubits,[d] the south side 4,500 cubits, the east side 4,500 cubits, and the west side 4,500 cubits.(T) 17 The pastureland for the city will be 250 cubits[e] on the north, 250 cubits on the south, 250 cubits on the east, and 250 cubits on the west. 18 What remains of the area, bordering on the sacred portion and running the length of it, will be 10,000 cubits on the east side and 10,000 cubits on the west side. Its produce will supply food for the workers of the city.(U) 19 The workers from the city who farm it will come from all the tribes of Israel. 20 The entire portion will be a square, 25,000 cubits on each side. As a special gift you will set aside the sacred portion, along with the property of the city.

21 “What remains on both sides of the area formed by the sacred portion and the property of the city will belong to the prince. It will extend eastward from the 25,000 cubits of the sacred portion to the eastern border, and westward from the 25,000 cubits to the western border. Both these areas running the length of the tribal portions will belong to the prince, and the sacred portion with the temple sanctuary will be in the center of them.(V) 22 So the property of the Levites and the property of the city will lie in the center of the area that belongs to the prince. The area belonging to the prince will lie between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin.

23 “As for the rest of the tribes: Benjamin(W) will have one portion; it will extend from the east side to the west side.

24 “Simeon(X) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Benjamin from east to west.

25 “Issachar(Y) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Simeon from east to west.

26 “Zebulun(Z) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Issachar from east to west.

27 “Gad(AA) will have one portion; it will border the territory of Zebulun from east to west.

28 “The southern boundary of Gad will run south from Tamar(AB) to the waters of Meribah Kadesh, then along the Wadi of Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea.(AC)

29 “This is the land you are to allot as an inheritance to the tribes of Israel, and these will be their portions,” declares the Sovereign Lord.(AD)

The Gates of the New City

30 “These will be the exits of the city: Beginning on the north side, which is 4,500 cubits long, 31 the gates of the city will be named after the tribes of Israel. The three gates on the north side will be the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah and the gate of Levi.

32 “On the east side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin and the gate of Dan.

33 “On the south side, which measures 4,500 cubits, will be three gates: the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar and the gate of Zebulun.

34 “On the west side, which is 4,500 cubits long, will be three gates: the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher and the gate of Naphtali.(AE)

35 “The distance all around will be 18,000 cubits.[f]

“And the name of the city from that time on will be:

the Lord is there.(AF)

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 48:8 That is, about 8 miles or about 13 kilometers; also in verses 9, 10, 13, 15, 20 and 21
  2. Ezekiel 48:9 That is, about 3 1/3 miles or about 5.3 kilometers; also in verses 10, 13 and 18
  3. Ezekiel 48:15 That is, about 1 2/3 miles or about 2.7 kilometers
  4. Ezekiel 48:16 That is, about 1 1/2 miles or about 2.4 kilometers; also in verses 30, 32, 33 and 34
  5. Ezekiel 48:17 That is, about 440 feet or about 135 meters
  6. Ezekiel 48:35 That is, about 6 miles or about 9.5 kilometers

48 Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.

And by the border of Dan, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Asher.

And by the border of Asher, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Naphtali.

And by the border of Naphtali, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Manasseh.

And by the border of Manasseh, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Ephraim.

And by the border of Ephraim, from the east side even unto the west side, a portion for Reuben.

And by the border of Reuben, from the east side unto the west side, a portion for Judah.

And by the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and in length as one of the other parts, from the east side unto the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in the midst of it.

The oblation that ye shall offer unto the Lord shall be of five and twenty thousand in length, and of ten thousand in breadth.

10 And for them, even for the priests, shall be this holy oblation; toward the north five and twenty thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south five and twenty thousand in length: and the sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the midst thereof.

11 It shall be for the priests that are sanctified of the sons of Zadok; which have kept my charge, which went not astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.

12 And this oblation of the land that is offered shall be unto them a thing most holy by the border of the Levites.

13 And over against the border of the priests the Levites shall have five and twenty thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth: all the length shall be five and twenty thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.

14 And they shall not sell of it, neither exchange, nor alienate the firstfruits of the land: for it is holy unto the Lord.

15 And the five thousand, that are left in the breadth over against the five and twenty thousand, shall be a profane place for the city, for dwelling, and for suburbs: and the city shall be in the midst thereof.

16 And these shall be the measures thereof; the north side four thousand and five hundred, and the south side four thousand and five hundred, and on the east side four thousand and five hundred, and the west side four thousand and five hundred.

17 And the suburbs of the city shall be toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.

18 And the residue in length over against the oblation of the holy portion shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward: and it shall be over against the oblation of the holy portion; and the increase thereof shall be for food unto them that serve the city.

19 And they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the tribes of Israel.

20 All the oblation shall be five and twenty thousand by five and twenty thousand: ye shall offer the holy oblation foursquare, with the possession of the city.

21 And the residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy oblation, and of the possession of the city, over against the five and twenty thousand of the oblation toward the east border, and westward over against the five and twenty thousand toward the west border, over against the portions for the prince: and it shall be the holy oblation; and the sanctuary of the house shall be in the midst thereof.

22 Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince's, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, shall be for the prince.

23 As for the rest of the tribes, from the east side unto the west side, Benjamin shall have a portion.

24 And by the border of Benjamin, from the east side unto the west side, Simeon shall have a portion.

25 And by the border of Simeon, from the east side unto the west side, Issachar a portion.

26 And by the border of Issachar, from the east side unto the west side, Zebulun a portion.

27 And by the border of Zebulun, from the east side unto the west side, Gad a portion.

28 And by the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar unto the waters of strife in Kadesh, and to the river toward the great sea.

29 This is the land which ye shall divide by lot unto the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their portions, saith the Lord God.

30 And these are the goings out of the city on the north side, four thousand and five hundred measures.

31 And the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel: three gates northward; one gate of Reuben, one gate of Judah, one gate of Levi.

32 And at the east side four thousand and five hundred: and three gates; and one gate of Joseph, one gate of Benjamin, one gate of Dan.

33 And at the south side four thousand and five hundred measures: and three gates; one gate of Simeon, one gate of Issachar, one gate of Zebulun.

34 At the west side four thousand and five hundred, with their three gates; one gate of Gad, one gate of Asher, one gate of Naphtali.

35 It was round about eighteen thousand measures: and the name of the city from that day shall be, The Lord is there.

Hosea’s Reconciliation With His Wife

The Lord said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another man and is an adulteress.(A) Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.(B)

So I bought her for fifteen shekels[a] of silver and about a homer and a lethek[b] of barley. Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will behave the same way toward you.”

For the Israelites will live many days without king or prince,(C) without sacrifice(D) or sacred stones,(E) without ephod(F) or household gods.(G) Afterward the Israelites will return and seek(H) the Lord their God and David their king.(I) They will come trembling(J) to the Lord and to his blessings in the last days.(K)

The Charge Against Israel

Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites,
    because the Lord has a charge(L) to bring
    against you who live in the land:(M)
“There is no faithfulness,(N) no love,
    no acknowledgment(O) of God in the land.(P)
There is only cursing,[c] lying(Q) and murder,(R)
    stealing(S) and adultery;(T)
they break all bounds,
    and bloodshed follows bloodshed.(U)
Because of this the land dries up,(V)
    and all who live in it waste away;(W)
the beasts of the field, the birds in the sky
    and the fish in the sea are swept away.(X)

“But let no one bring a charge,
    let no one accuse another,
for your people are like those
    who bring charges against a priest.(Y)
You stumble(Z) day and night,
    and the prophets stumble with you.
So I will destroy your mother(AA)
    my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.(AB)

“Because you have rejected knowledge,
    I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law(AC) of your God,
    I also will ignore your children.
The more priests there were,
    the more they sinned against me;
    they exchanged their glorious God[d](AD) for something disgraceful.(AE)
They feed on the sins of my people
    and relish their wickedness.(AF)
And it will be: Like people, like priests.(AG)
    I will punish both of them for their ways
    and repay them for their deeds.(AH)

10 “They will eat but not have enough;(AI)
    they will engage in prostitution(AJ) but not flourish,
because they have deserted(AK) the Lord
    to give themselves 11 to prostitution;(AL)
old wine(AM) and new wine
    take away their understanding.(AN)
12 My people consult a wooden idol,(AO)
    and a diviner’s rod speaks to them.(AP)
A spirit of prostitution(AQ) leads them astray;(AR)
    they are unfaithful(AS) to their God.
13 They sacrifice on the mountaintops
    and burn offerings on the hills,
under oak,(AT) poplar and terebinth,
    where the shade is pleasant.(AU)
Therefore your daughters turn to prostitution(AV)
    and your daughters-in-law to adultery.(AW)

14 “I will not punish your daughters
    when they turn to prostitution,
nor your daughters-in-law
    when they commit adultery,
because the men themselves consort with harlots(AX)
    and sacrifice with shrine prostitutes(AY)
    a people without understanding(AZ) will come to ruin!(BA)

15 “Though you, Israel, commit adultery,
    do not let Judah become guilty.

“Do not go to Gilgal;(BB)
    do not go up to Beth Aven.[e](BC)
    And do not swear, ‘As surely as the Lord lives!’(BD)
16 The Israelites are stubborn,(BE)
    like a stubborn heifer.(BF)
How then can the Lord pasture them
    like lambs(BG) in a meadow?
17 Ephraim is joined to idols;
    leave him alone!
18 Even when their drinks are gone,
    they continue their prostitution;
    their rulers dearly love shameful ways.
19 A whirlwind(BH) will sweep them away,
    and their sacrifices will bring them shame.(BI)

Judgment Against Israel

“Hear this, you priests!
    Pay attention, you Israelites!
Listen, royal house!
    This judgment(BJ) is against you:
You have been a snare(BK) at Mizpah,
    a net(BL) spread out on Tabor.
The rebels are knee-deep in slaughter.(BM)
    I will discipline all of them.(BN)
I know all about Ephraim;
    Israel is not hidden(BO) from me.
Ephraim, you have now turned to prostitution;
    Israel is corrupt.(BP)

“Their deeds do not permit them
    to return(BQ) to their God.
A spirit of prostitution(BR) is in their heart;
    they do not acknowledge(BS) the Lord.
Israel’s arrogance testifies(BT) against them;
    the Israelites, even Ephraim, stumble(BU) in their sin;
    Judah also stumbles with them.(BV)
When they go with their flocks and herds
    to seek the Lord,(BW)
they will not find him;
    he has withdrawn(BX) himself from them.
They are unfaithful(BY) to the Lord;
    they give birth to illegitimate(BZ) children.
When they celebrate their New Moon feasts,(CA)
    he will devour[f](CB) their fields.

“Sound the trumpet(CC) in Gibeah,(CD)
    the horn in Ramah.(CE)
Raise the battle cry in Beth Aven[g];(CF)
    lead on, Benjamin.
Ephraim will be laid waste(CG)
    on the day of reckoning.(CH)
Among the tribes of Israel
    I proclaim what is certain.(CI)
10 Judah’s leaders are like those
    who move boundary stones.(CJ)
I will pour out my wrath(CK) on them
    like a flood of water.
11 Ephraim is oppressed,
    trampled in judgment,
    intent on pursuing idols.[h](CL)
12 I am like a moth(CM) to Ephraim,
    like rot(CN) to the people of Judah.

13 “When Ephraim(CO) saw his sickness,
    and Judah his sores,
then Ephraim turned to Assyria,(CP)
    and sent to the great king for help.(CQ)
But he is not able to cure(CR) you,
    not able to heal your sores.(CS)
14 For I will be like a lion(CT) to Ephraim,
    like a great lion to Judah.
I will tear them to pieces(CU) and go away;
    I will carry them off, with no one to rescue them.(CV)
15 Then I will return to my lair(CW)
    until they have borne their guilt(CX)
    and seek my face(CY)
in their misery(CZ)
    they will earnestly seek me.(DA)

Footnotes

  1. Hosea 3:2 That is, about 6 ounces or about 170 grams
  2. Hosea 3:2 A homer and a lethek possibly weighed about 430 pounds or about 195 kilograms.
  3. Hosea 4:2 That is, to pronounce a curse on
  4. Hosea 4:7 Syriac (see also an ancient Hebrew scribal tradition); Masoretic Text me; / I will exchange their glory
  5. Hosea 4:15 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
  6. Hosea 5:7 Or Now their New Moon feasts / will devour them and
  7. Hosea 5:8 Beth Aven means house of wickedness (a derogatory name for Bethel, which means house of God).
  8. Hosea 5:11 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

Then said the Lord unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the Lord toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine.

So I bought her to me for fifteen pieces of silver, and for an homer of barley, and an half homer of barley:

And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

For the children of Israel shall abide many days without a king, and without a prince, and without a sacrifice, and without an image, and without an ephod, and without teraphim:

Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.

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

By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood toucheth blood.

Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.

Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.

Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.

They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity.

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

10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the Lord.

11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.

12 My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.

14 I will not punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.

15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The Lord liveth.

16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the Lord will feed them as a lamb in a large place.

17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.

18 Their drink is sour: they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers with shame do love, Give ye.

19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.

Hear ye this, O priests; and hearken, ye house of Israel; and give ye ear, O house of the king; for judgment is toward you, because ye have been a snare on Mizpah, and a net spread upon Tabor.

And the revolters are profound to make slaughter, though I have been a rebuker of them all.

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

They will not frame their doings to turn unto their God: for the spirit of whoredoms is in the midst of them, and they have not known the Lord.

And the pride of Israel doth testify to his face: therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their iniquity: Judah also shall fall with them.

They shall go with their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn himself from them.

They have dealt treacherously against the Lord: for they have begotten strange children: now shall a month devour them with their portions.

Blow ye the cornet in Gibeah, and the trumpet in Ramah: cry aloud at Bethaven, after thee, O Benjamin.

Ephraim shall be desolate in the day of rebuke: among the tribes of Israel have I made known that which shall surely be.

10 The princes of Judah were like them that remove the bound: therefore I will pour out my wrath upon them like water.

11 Ephraim is oppressed and broken in judgment, because he willingly walked after the commandment.

12 Therefore will I be unto Ephraim as a moth, and to the house of Judah as rottenness.

13 When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, then went Ephraim to the Assyrian, and sent to king Jareb: yet could he not heal you, nor cure you of your wound.

14 For I will be unto Ephraim as a lion, and as a young lion to the house of Judah: I, even I, will tear and go away; I will take away, and none shall rescue him.

15 I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.