Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Condescension of God » Expostulates with backsliding israel
Present your case, says Jehovah. Set forth your arguments, says Jacob's King. Bring in your idols to tell us what is going to happen. Tell us what the former things were, so that we may consider them and know their final outcome. Or declare to us the things to come. Tell us what the future holds, so we may know that you are gods. Do something, whether good or bad, so that we will be shocked and filled with fear. read more.
You are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless! He who chooses you is detestable.
You are less than nothing and your works are utterly worthless! He who chooses you is detestable.
Jehovah created Jacob and formed Israel. Jehovah says: Do not be afraid for I have reclaimed you. I have called you by my name. You are mine. When you go through the sea, I am with you. When you go through rivers, they will not sweep you away. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned, and the flames will not harm you. I AM JEHOVAH YOUR GOD, THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, YOUR SAVIOR. Egypt is the ransom I exchanged for you. Sudan and Seba are the price I paid for you. read more.
I honor you because you are precious to me and I love you. I will exchange others for you. Nations will be the price I pay for your life. Do not be afraid for I am with you. I will bring your descendants from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up,' and to the south, 'do not keep them. Bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Bring everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.' Bring the people who are blind but still have eyes, the people who are deaf but still have ears. All nations have gathered together, and people have assembled. Who among them could have revealed this? Who among them could have foretold this to us? They should bring their witnesses to prove that they were right. Let the people hear them. Then they will say: 'It is the truth.' YOU ARE MY WITNESSES, DECLARES JEHOVAH! I have chosen you as my servant so that you can know and believe in me and understand that I am the one who did this. No god was formed before me, and there will be none after me. I ALONE AM JEHOVAH, AND THERE IS NO SAVIOR BESIDES ME. I have revealed it to you. I have saved you, and I have announced it to you. There was no foreign god among you. You are my witnesses that I am God, declares Jehovah. From the beginning I was the one who did this. No one can rescue people from my power. When I do something, who can undo it? This is what Jehovah, your redeemer, and the Holy One of Israel, says: For your sake I will send an army to Babylon. I will bring back all the Babylonian refugees in the ships that they take pride in. I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. Jehovah makes a path through the sea and a road through the strong currents. He leads chariots and horses, an army and reinforcements. They lie down together and do not get up again. They are extinguished and snuffed out like a wick. This is what Jehovah says: Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago. I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Do you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land.
I honor you because you are precious to me and I love you. I will exchange others for you. Nations will be the price I pay for your life. Do not be afraid for I am with you. I will bring your descendants from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north, 'Give them up,' and to the south, 'do not keep them. Bring my sons from far away and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Bring everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.' Bring the people who are blind but still have eyes, the people who are deaf but still have ears. All nations have gathered together, and people have assembled. Who among them could have revealed this? Who among them could have foretold this to us? They should bring their witnesses to prove that they were right. Let the people hear them. Then they will say: 'It is the truth.' YOU ARE MY WITNESSES, DECLARES JEHOVAH! I have chosen you as my servant so that you can know and believe in me and understand that I am the one who did this. No god was formed before me, and there will be none after me. I ALONE AM JEHOVAH, AND THERE IS NO SAVIOR BESIDES ME. I have revealed it to you. I have saved you, and I have announced it to you. There was no foreign god among you. You are my witnesses that I am God, declares Jehovah. From the beginning I was the one who did this. No one can rescue people from my power. When I do something, who can undo it? This is what Jehovah, your redeemer, and the Holy One of Israel, says: For your sake I will send an army to Babylon. I will bring back all the Babylonian refugees in the ships that they take pride in. I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. Jehovah makes a path through the sea and a road through the strong currents. He leads chariots and horses, an army and reinforcements. They lie down together and do not get up again. They are extinguished and snuffed out like a wick. This is what Jehovah says: Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago. I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Do you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land.
I permitted myself to be sought by those who did not ask for me. Those who did not seek me found me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said: 'Here I am, here I am.' All day long I held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations (thoughts), a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick. read more.
They sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil. They eat the flesh of pigs. Their pots are full of unclean meat. They say: 'Keep away! Do not come near me, for I am too sacred for you! Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.' See, it stands written before me. I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps both your sins and the sins of your fathers, says Jehovah. This is because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills. I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds. Jehovah says: As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, 'Do not destroy it, there is yet some good in it,' so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains. My chosen people will inherit them and my servants will live there. Sharon will be pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me. But as for you who forsake Jehovah and forget my holy mountain, which spread a table for the God of Fortune (Babylonian diety) and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and you will all bend down for the slaughter! I called but you did not answer. I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me. Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: My servants will eat, but you will go hungry. My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty. My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame! My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. You will leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse. The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of (amen, so be it) truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.
They sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil. They eat the flesh of pigs. Their pots are full of unclean meat. They say: 'Keep away! Do not come near me, for I am too sacred for you! Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.' See, it stands written before me. I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps both your sins and the sins of your fathers, says Jehovah. This is because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills. I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds. Jehovah says: As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, 'Do not destroy it, there is yet some good in it,' so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all. I will bring forth offspring from Jacob, and from Judah those who will possess my mountains. My chosen people will inherit them and my servants will live there. Sharon will be pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a resting place for herds, for my people who seek me. But as for you who forsake Jehovah and forget my holy mountain, which spread a table for the God of Fortune (Babylonian diety) and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny, I will destine you for the sword, and you will all bend down for the slaughter! I called but you did not answer. I spoke but you did not listen. You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me. Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah says: My servants will eat, but you will go hungry. My servants will drink, but you will go thirsty. My servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame! My servants will sing out of the joy of their hearts, but you will cry out from anguish of heart and wail in brokenness of spirit. You will leave your name to my chosen ones as a curse. The Sovereign Lord Jehovah will put you to death, but to his servants he will give another name. Whoever invokes a blessing in the land will do so by the God of (amen, so be it) truth; he who takes an oath in the land will swear by the God of truth. For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.
It is said: If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, her first husband should not go back to her again. The land would become completely polluted. You have behaved like a prostitute who has many lovers. Now you want to come back to me! Says Jehovah. Lift up your eyes to the bare hills and see. You have had sex with men in every place. You sat by the roadside waiting for them like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled (corrupted) (profaned) the land with your prostitution and wickedness. Accordingly the rain has been withheld, and there have been no spring showers. Yet, you have the unashamed (conspicuous) (impudent) look of a prostitute, and you refuse to be ashamed. read more.
Now you call to me. You say, 'Father!' You have been my friend ever since I was young. Will you hold a grudge forever? Will you always be angry? You have said and done all the evil things that you could. During the reign of King Josiah, Jehovah asked me: Did you see what unfaithful Israel did? She went up every high mountain and under every large tree, and she acted like a prostitute there. I thought that after she had done all this she would come back to me. But she did not come back, and her treacherous (unstable) (unreliable) (false) sister Judah saw her. Judah saw that I sent unfaithful Israel away because of her adultery and that I gave Israel her divorce papers. But treacherous Judah, her sister, was not afraid. She also acted like a prostitute. Because she was not concerned about her prostitution. She polluted the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. Even after all this, Israel's treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart. She was deceitful, says Jehovah. Jehovah said to me: Treacherous Judah was more reprehensible than unfaithful Israel. Go and proclaim this message to the north: 'Come back, unfaithful Israel. It is Jehovah speaking. I will no longer frown on you because I am merciful,' declares Jehovah. 'I will no longer be angry with you. Admit that you have done wrong! You have rebelled against Jehovah your God. You have given yourself to foreign gods under every large tree. You have not obeyed me,' says Jehovah. Return, you disobedient people, proclaims Jehovah. I am your husband. I will take you, one from every city and two from every family, and bring you to Zion.' I will give you shepherds after my own heart. They will be shepherds who feed (shepherd) (lead) (tend) you with knowledge and understanding (learning) (reasoning) (insight).
Now you call to me. You say, 'Father!' You have been my friend ever since I was young. Will you hold a grudge forever? Will you always be angry? You have said and done all the evil things that you could. During the reign of King Josiah, Jehovah asked me: Did you see what unfaithful Israel did? She went up every high mountain and under every large tree, and she acted like a prostitute there. I thought that after she had done all this she would come back to me. But she did not come back, and her treacherous (unstable) (unreliable) (false) sister Judah saw her. Judah saw that I sent unfaithful Israel away because of her adultery and that I gave Israel her divorce papers. But treacherous Judah, her sister, was not afraid. She also acted like a prostitute. Because she was not concerned about her prostitution. She polluted the land and committed adultery with stone and wood. Even after all this, Israel's treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart. She was deceitful, says Jehovah. Jehovah said to me: Treacherous Judah was more reprehensible than unfaithful Israel. Go and proclaim this message to the north: 'Come back, unfaithful Israel. It is Jehovah speaking. I will no longer frown on you because I am merciful,' declares Jehovah. 'I will no longer be angry with you. Admit that you have done wrong! You have rebelled against Jehovah your God. You have given yourself to foreign gods under every large tree. You have not obeyed me,' says Jehovah. Return, you disobedient people, proclaims Jehovah. I am your husband. I will take you, one from every city and two from every family, and bring you to Zion.' I will give you shepherds after my own heart. They will be shepherds who feed (shepherd) (lead) (tend) you with knowledge and understanding (learning) (reasoning) (insight).
But you say: Jehovah's way is unfair. Listen, nation of Israel, is my way fair? Is it your ways that are unfair? When a righteous person turns away from doing right and does evil things, he will die. He will die because of the evil things he has done. When a wicked person turns away from the wicked things that he has done and does what is fair and right, he will live. read more.
He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die. But the nation of Israel says: Jehovah's way is unfair. Is my way not fair, nation of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unfair? That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah. Change the way you think and act. (Repent!) Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin. Give up all the evil you have been doing. Get yourselves new minds and hearts. Why do you Israelites want to die? I do not want anyone to die,' says the Lord Jehovah. 'Turn away from (repent of) your sins and live.'
He realized what he was doing and turned away from all the rebellious things that he had done. He will certainly live. He will not die. But the nation of Israel says: Jehovah's way is unfair. Is my way not fair, nation of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unfair? That is why I will judge each of you by what you have done, people of Israel, declares the Lord Jehovah. Change the way you think and act. (Repent!) Turn away from all the rebellious things that you have done so that you will not fall into sin. Give up all the evil you have been doing. Get yourselves new minds and hearts. Why do you Israelites want to die? I do not want anyone to die,' says the Lord Jehovah. 'Turn away from (repent of) your sins and live.'
Son of man, say to the house of Israel: 'You people have said: Our transgressions and our sins are upon us. We are rotting away in them. How can we survive?' Say to them: 'As I am alive! Declares the Lord Jehovah. I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Only that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn back! Turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?' Son of man, tell the Israelites that when someone good sins, the good he has done will not save him. If an evil person stops doing evil he will not be punished, and if a good man starts sinning, his life will not be spared. read more.
I may promise life to someone good, but if he starts thinking that his past goodness is enough and begins to sin, I will not remember any of the good he did. He will die because of his sins. I may warn someone evil that he is going to die, but if he stops sinning and does what is right and good, and if he returns the security he took for a loan or gives back what he stole, if he stops sinning and follows the laws that give life, he will not die, but he will live. None of the sins that he has done will be remembered. He has done what is fair and right. He will certainly live.' But your people say: 'Jehovah's way is not right.' Yet, their ways are not right. If the righteous person turns from the right things that he has done and does evil, he will die because of it. If the wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is fair and right, he will live because of it. The people of Israel say: 'Jehovah's way is not right.' I will judge each of you by your own ways, people of Israel.
I may promise life to someone good, but if he starts thinking that his past goodness is enough and begins to sin, I will not remember any of the good he did. He will die because of his sins. I may warn someone evil that he is going to die, but if he stops sinning and does what is right and good, and if he returns the security he took for a loan or gives back what he stole, if he stops sinning and follows the laws that give life, he will not die, but he will live. None of the sins that he has done will be remembered. He has done what is fair and right. He will certainly live.' But your people say: 'Jehovah's way is not right.' Yet, their ways are not right. If the righteous person turns from the right things that he has done and does evil, he will die because of it. If the wicked person turns from his wickedness and does what is fair and right, he will live because of it. The people of Israel say: 'Jehovah's way is not right.' I will judge each of you by your own ways, people of Israel.
Listen to what Jehovah said: Arise, plead your case before the mountains. Let the hills hear your voice. Hear Jehovah's indictment you mountains and you enduring foundations of the earth! Jehovah argues a case against his people. He will contend with Israel: O my people, what have I done to you? How have I grieved you? Respond to me. read more.
I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him. Remember from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Jehovah. With what shall I come before Jehovah? Shall I bow down before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with year old calves? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for my sin? He told you, O lowly man, what is good and what Jehovah requires of you. You should display justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God! The voice of Jehovah calls to the city. The man of wisdom will see (respect) your name! Hear the rod and who appointed it.
I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him. Remember from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Jehovah. With what shall I come before Jehovah? Shall I bow down before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with year old calves? Will Jehovah be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my transgression, the fruit of my body for my sin? He told you, O lowly man, what is good and what Jehovah requires of you. You should display justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God! The voice of Jehovah calls to the city. The man of wisdom will see (respect) your name! Hear the rod and who appointed it.
Like your fathers before you, you have turned away from my laws and have not obeyed them. Return to me and I will return to you, said Jehovah of Hosts. But you ask, 'how will we return to you?' I ask you: 'will you rob and defraud God? Of course not, yet you are robbing and defrauding me!' 'How have we robbed and defrauded?' You ask. 'In the matter of tithes and offerings.' A curse is on all of you because the whole nation is cheating me. read more.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me, said Jehovah of Hosts, and see if I will open the windows of heaven and pour out showers of blessing upon you until there is no more want. I will not let insects destroy your crops. Your grapevines will produce abundantly. All the nations will pronounce you happy because your land will be a good place to live. You have said terrible things about me, said Jehovah of Hosts. Yet you ask: 'What have we said about you?' You have said: 'There is no value to serve God. What is the use of doing what he says or of trying to show Jehovah of Hosts that we are sorry for what we have done?' We call arrogant people happy. Evil people test God's patience with their wicked deeds. They not only get away with it, they also prosper.
Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse. Test me, said Jehovah of Hosts, and see if I will open the windows of heaven and pour out showers of blessing upon you until there is no more want. I will not let insects destroy your crops. Your grapevines will produce abundantly. All the nations will pronounce you happy because your land will be a good place to live. You have said terrible things about me, said Jehovah of Hosts. Yet you ask: 'What have we said about you?' You have said: 'There is no value to serve God. What is the use of doing what he says or of trying to show Jehovah of Hosts that we are sorry for what we have done?' We call arrogant people happy. Evil people test God's patience with their wicked deeds. They not only get away with it, they also prosper.
Foes of the home » Polygamy » Divorce
A man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. [Jesus continued to tell illustrations.]
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a release. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
Let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God. Let it be done in keeping with the law.
Again, it was said, 'Whoever gets rid of his wife has to give her a certificate of divorce.'
When a man marries a woman and later decides he does not love her because he found something he does not like about her he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house.
It is said: If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, her first husband should not go back to her again. The land would become completely polluted. You have behaved like a prostitute who has many lovers. Now you want to come back to me! Says Jehovah.
They asked him: Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, to send her away?
Home » Polygamy » Divorce
A man who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. [Jesus continued to tell illustrations.]
Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek a release. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife.
Let us make an agreement with our God to put away all the wives and all their children, if it seems right to my lord and to those who go in fear of the words of our God. Let it be done in keeping with the law.
Again, it was said, 'Whoever gets rid of his wife has to give her a certificate of divorce.'
When a man marries a woman and later decides he does not love her because he found something he does not like about her he writes her a certificate of divorce and puts it in her hand and sends her out from his house.
It is said: If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, her first husband should not go back to her again. The land would become completely polluted. You have behaved like a prostitute who has many lovers. Now you want to come back to me! Says Jehovah.
They asked him: Why then did Moses command to give a certificate of divorce, to send her away?
Turning » Turning to the lord
Even now, said Jehovah, turn to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning! Rip apart your heart, and not your garments. Turn to Jehovah your God! He is gracious and merciful. He is slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness. He will turn back from doing harm.
What protest may a living man make? Can a man protest about the punishment for his sin? Let us search and put our ways to the test. Let us turn again to Jehovah.
It is said: If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, her first husband should not go back to her again. The land would become completely polluted. You have behaved like a prostitute who has many lovers. Now you want to come back to me! Says Jehovah.
Return to your God. Constantly express loving kindness and justice. Always wait with hope in your God.
A man with crippled feet sat in Lystra. He had never walked for he was lame from birth. He heard Paul speaking. Paul looked intently at him, and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said with a loud voice: Stand up on your feet! And he leaped up and walked. read more.
Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men. They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things.
Seeing what Paul did, the crowd lifted up their voice, saying in Lycaonian: The gods have come down to us, becoming like men. They called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter whose temple was there in the city, brought cattle and garlands to the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. When the apostles, Barnabas and Paul, heard of it, they ripped their clothes, and ran in among the people. They said: Sirs, why do you do these things? We are only men like you. We bring you good news. You should turn from these worthless things to the living God. He is the God who made heaven and earth, the sea and all things.
Whoredom » The reward for whoredom
My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Listen to my understanding. That way you will maintain discretion and your lips will keep knowledge. The lips of an immoral woman drip as a honeycomb. Her mouth is smoother than oil. read more.
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two edged sword. Her feet go down to death. Her steps take hold of the grave. She does not ponder the path of life. Her unstable ways she does not know. Hear me now my son. Do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep far away from her. Do not go near the door of her house. You will give your honor (majesty) to others and your years to the cruel one. Strangers will be filled with your financial strength. Strangers will benefit from your hard work. You mourn at last, when your flesh and your body are consumed. You say: How I have hated instruction! My heart despised reproof. I did not obey the voice of my teachers. I did not listen to my instructors! I was very near total ruin in the midst of the congregation.
But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two edged sword. Her feet go down to death. Her steps take hold of the grave. She does not ponder the path of life. Her unstable ways she does not know. Hear me now my son. Do not depart from the words of my mouth. Keep far away from her. Do not go near the door of her house. You will give your honor (majesty) to others and your years to the cruel one. Strangers will be filled with your financial strength. Strangers will benefit from your hard work. You mourn at last, when your flesh and your body are consumed. You say: How I have hated instruction! My heart despised reproof. I did not obey the voice of my teachers. I did not listen to my instructors! I was very near total ruin in the midst of the congregation.
Do not dishonor your daughter by making her a prostitute, or the country will turn to prostitution and be filled with people who are perverted.
Prostitution, wine and new wine take away the understanding. My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declares to them; for the spirit of adultery caused them to go astray. They have played the harlot, departing from their God.
This is because of Nineveh's constant prostitution, this very charming mistress of evil magic. She used to sell nations by her prostitution and people by her evil magic. I am against you, Nineveh, declares Jehovah of Hosts. I will lift up your dress over your face. I will show nations your naked body and kingdoms your disgrace. I will treat you with contempt and cover you with filth. People will stare at you in horror. read more.
And it will come about that all who see you will go in flight from you and say, Nineveh is devastated: who will weep for her? Where will I get comforters for her?
And it will come about that all who see you will go in flight from you and say, Nineveh is devastated: who will weep for her? Where will I get comforters for her?
A prostitute will cost you your last crust of bread. An adulteress will cost you your life. Can a man have fire in his lap and his clothes not be burned? Can one walk on hot coals, and his feet not be burned?
It is said: If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and marries another man, her first husband should not go back to her again. The land would become completely polluted. You have behaved like a prostitute who has many lovers. Now you want to come back to me! Says Jehovah. Lift up your eyes to the bare hills and see. You have had sex with men in every place. You sat by the roadside waiting for them like a nomad in the desert. You have defiled (corrupted) (profaned) the land with your prostitution and wickedness. Accordingly the rain has been withheld, and there have been no spring showers. Yet, you have the unashamed (conspicuous) (impudent) look of a prostitute, and you refuse to be ashamed.
The Lord Jehovah said: You are doomed! Doomed! You did all that evil, and then by the side of every road you built places to worship idols and practice prostitution. You dragged your beauty through the mud. You offered yourself to everyone who came by, and you were more of a prostitute every day. read more.
You let your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, go to bed with you, and you used your prostitution to make me angry. Now I have raised my hand to punish you and to take away your share of my blessing. I have handed you over to the Philistines, who hate you. They are also disgusted with your immoral actions. The others did not satisfy you so you ran after the Assyrians. You were their prostitute, but they did not satisfy you either. You were also a prostitute for the Babylonians, that nation of merchants, but they did not satisfy you either. I, the Lord Jehovah am furious with you. You were so disgusting that you would have done anything to get what you wanted. You had sex on every street corner, and when you finished, you refused to accept money. That is worse than being a prostitute! You are an unfaithful wife who would rather have sex with strangers than with your own husband. Prostitutes accept money for having sex, but you bribe men from everywhere to have sex with you. You are not like other prostitutes. Men do not ask you for sex. You offer to pay them! Jerusalem, you prostitute, listen to the word of Jehovah. You chased after lovers, then took off your clothes and had sex. You even worshiped disgusting idols and sacrificed your own children as offerings to them. So I, the Lord Jehovah, will gather every one of your lovers, those you liked and those you hated. They will stand around you, and I will rip off your clothes and let all of those lovers stare at your nakedness. I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged. I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. I will also give you into the hands of your lovers. They will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your jewels, and will leave you naked and bare. They will incite a crowd against you and they will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. Then I will stop you from playing the harlot. You will also no longer pay your lovers. I will calm my fury against you and my indignation will depart from you. I will be pacified and angry no more. You have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged me by all these things. I will therefore bring your conduct down on your own head,' declares the Lord Jehovah. 'That way you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other abominations. Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb concerning you: Like mother, like daughter.
You let your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, go to bed with you, and you used your prostitution to make me angry. Now I have raised my hand to punish you and to take away your share of my blessing. I have handed you over to the Philistines, who hate you. They are also disgusted with your immoral actions. The others did not satisfy you so you ran after the Assyrians. You were their prostitute, but they did not satisfy you either. You were also a prostitute for the Babylonians, that nation of merchants, but they did not satisfy you either. I, the Lord Jehovah am furious with you. You were so disgusting that you would have done anything to get what you wanted. You had sex on every street corner, and when you finished, you refused to accept money. That is worse than being a prostitute! You are an unfaithful wife who would rather have sex with strangers than with your own husband. Prostitutes accept money for having sex, but you bribe men from everywhere to have sex with you. You are not like other prostitutes. Men do not ask you for sex. You offer to pay them! Jerusalem, you prostitute, listen to the word of Jehovah. You chased after lovers, then took off your clothes and had sex. You even worshiped disgusting idols and sacrificed your own children as offerings to them. So I, the Lord Jehovah, will gather every one of your lovers, those you liked and those you hated. They will stand around you, and I will rip off your clothes and let all of those lovers stare at your nakedness. I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged. I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. I will also give you into the hands of your lovers. They will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your jewels, and will leave you naked and bare. They will incite a crowd against you and they will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. Then I will stop you from playing the harlot. You will also no longer pay your lovers. I will calm my fury against you and my indignation will depart from you. I will be pacified and angry no more. You have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged me by all these things. I will therefore bring your conduct down on your own head,' declares the Lord Jehovah. 'That way you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other abominations. Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb concerning you: Like mother, like daughter.