The Depravity Of Jerusalem
1 Go quickly through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and get knowledge, and make a search in her wide places if there is a man, if there is one in her who is upright, who keeps faith; and she will have my forgiveness.
1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
1 “(A)Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,And look now and take note.And seek in her open squares,If you can (B)find a man,(C)If there is one who does justice, who seeks (a)truth,Then I will pardon her.
1 Roam(A) through the streets of Jerusalem.Look and take note;search in her squares.If you find one person,(B)any who acts justly,who seeks to be faithful,then I will forgive her.(C)
1 "Wander through the streets of Jerusalem. Look and investigate; search through her squares and see whether you find anyone even one person there doing justice and seeking truth. Then I'll forgive them.
3 O Lord, do not your eyes see good faith? you have given them punishment, but they were not troubled; you have sent destruction on them, but they did not take your teaching to heart: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they would not come back.
3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
3 O Lord, do not (E)Your eyes look for (b)truth?You have (F)smitten them,But they did not (c)weaken;You have consumed them,But they (G)refused to take correction.They have (H)made their faces harder than rock;They have refused to repent.
3 Lord, don’t Your eyes look for faithfulness?(F)You have struck them, but they felt no pain.(G)You finished them off,but they refused to accept discipline.(H)They made their faces harder than rock,(I)and they refused to return.(J)
3 LORD, don't your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they didn't flinch. You brought them to an end, but they refused to receive discipline. They made their faces harder than stone, and they refused to repent.
4 Then I said, But these are the poor: they are foolish, for they have no knowledge of the way of the Lord or of the behaviour desired by their God.
4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.
4 Then I said, “They are only the poor,They are foolish;For they (I)do not know the way of the LordOr the ordinance of their God.
4 Then I thought:They are just the poor;they have played the fool.For they don’t understand the way of the Lord,(K)the justice of their God.(L)
4 Then I said, "These are only the poor, they're foolish, for they don't know the LORD's way, the requirement of their God.
5 I will go to the great men and have talk with them; for they have knowledge of the way of the Lord and of the behaviour desired by their God. But as for these, their one purpose is a broken yoke and burst bands.
5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
5 “I will go to the greatAnd will speak to them,For (J)they know the way of the LordAnd the ordinance of their God.”But they too, with one accord, have (K)broken the yokeAnd burst the bonds.
5 I will go to the powerfuland speak to them.Surely they know the way of the Lord,the justice of their God.(M)However, these also had broken the yokeand torn off the chains.(N)
5 Let me go to the leaders and speak to them. For they know the LORD's way, the requirement of their God." "But they, all together, have broken the yoke and torn off the restraints.
6 And so a lion from the woods will put them to death, a wolf of the waste land will make them waste, a leopard will keep watch on their towns, and everyone who goes out from them will be food for the beasts; because of the great number of their sins and the increase of their wrongdoing.
6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
6 Therefore (L)a lion from the forest will slay them,A (M)wolf of the deserts will destroy them,A (N)leopard is watching their cities.Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces,Because their (O)transgressions are many,Their apostasies are numerous.
6 Therefore, a lion from the forest will strike them down.(O)A wolf from an arid plain will ravage them.A leopard(P) keeps watch over their cities.Anyone who leaves them will be torn to piecesbecause their rebellious acts are many,(Q)their unfaithful deeds numerous.(R)
6 Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them, a wolf from the desert will devastate them. A leopard is watching their towns, and everyone who goes out of them will be torn to pieces. For their transgressions are many, and their apostasies numerous.
7 How is it possible for you to have my forgiveness for this? your children have given me up, taking their oaths by those who are no gods: when I had given them food in full measure, they were false to their wives, taking their pleasure in the houses of loose women.
7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.
7 “Why should I pardon you?Your sons have forsaken MeAnd (P)sworn by those who are (Q)not gods.When I had fed them to the full,They (R)committed adulteryAnd trooped to the harlot’s house.
7 Why should I forgive you?Your children have abandoned Meand sworn by those who are not gods.(S)I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery;(T)they gashed themselves(U) at the(a) prostitute’s house.
7 Why should I forgive you? Your sons have forsaken me, and you have sworn by those who aren't gods. When I gave them enough food to satisfy them, they committed adultery and marched to the prostitute's house.
9 Am I not to give punishment for these things? says the Lord: will not my soul take payment from such a nation as this?
9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
9 “Shall I not punish (d)these people,” declares the Lord,“And on a nation such as this(T)Shall I not avenge Myself?
9 Should I not punish them for these things?(Y)This is the Lord’s declaration.Should I not avenge Myself(Z)on such a nation as this?
9 "Should I not punish them for these things?" asks the LORD, "And on a nation like this, should I not seek retribution?"
10 Go up against her vines and make waste; let the destruction be complete: take away her branches, for they are not the Lord's.
10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD'S.
10 “Go up through her vine rows and destroy,But do not execute a complete destruction;Strip away her branches,For they are not the Lord’s.
10 Go up among her vineyard terraces and destroy them,(AA)but do not finish them off.(AB)Prune away her shoots,for they do not belong to the Lord.(AC)
10 "Go through her rows of vines and destroy them, but don't completely destroy them. Strip away her branches, because they aren't the LORD's.
11 For the people of Israel and the people of Judah have been very false to me, says the Lord.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
11 “For the (U)house of Israel and the house of JudahHave dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the Lord.
11 They, the house of Israel and the house of Judah,have dealt very treacherously with Me.(AD)This is the Lord’s declaration.
11 For both the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to me," declares the LORD.
The Lord Rejects Israel
12 They would have nothing to do with the Lord, saying, He will do nothing, and no evil will come to us; we will not see the sword or be short of food:
12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
12 They have (V)lied about the LordAnd said, “(e)(W)Not He;Misfortune will (X)not come on us,And we (Y)will not see sword or famine.
12 They have contradicted the Lordand insisted, “It won’t happen.(d)(AE)Harm won’t come to us;we won’t see sword or famine.”
12 "They have lied about the LORD by saying, "He wouldn't do that! Disaster won't come on us. We won't see sword and famine.
13 And the prophets will become wind, and the word is not in them; so it will be done to them.
13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
13 The prophets become only wind,for the Lord’s word is not in them.This will in fact happen to them.
13 The prophets are nothing but wind, and the word is not in them. So may the disaster happen to them!'"
Coming Judgment
14 For this reason the Lord, the God of armies, has said: Because you have said this, I will make my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood, and they will be burned up by it.
14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
14 Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts,“Because you have spoken this word,Behold, I am (AA)making My words in your mouth fireAnd this people wood, and it will consume them.
14 Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Hosts says:Because you have spoken this word,I am going to make My wordsbecome fire in your mouth.(AF)These people are the wood,and the fire will consume them.(AG)
14 Therefore, this is what the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies says: "Because you people have said this, my words in your mouth will become a fire and these people the wood. The fire will destroy them.
15 See, I will send you a nation from far away, O people of Israel, says the Lord; a strong nation and an old nation, a nation whose language is strange to you, so that you may not get the sense of their words.
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
15 “Behold, I am (AB)bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” declares the Lord.“It is an enduring nation,It is an ancient nation,A nation whose (AC)language you do not know,Nor can you understand what they say.
15 I am about to bring a nationfrom far away against you,(AH)house of Israel.This is the Lord’s declaration.It is an established nation,an ancient nation,a nation whose language you do not knowand whose speech you do not understand.(AI)
15 People of Israel, I'm now bringing a nation from far away to attack you," declares the LORD. "It is an enduring nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you don't know. And you won't understand what they say.
17 They will take all the produce of your fields, which would have been food for your sons and your daughters: they will take your flocks and your herds: they will take all your vines and your fig-trees: and with the sword they will make waste your walled towns in which you put your faith.
17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
17 “They will (AF)devour your harvest and your food;They will devour your sons and your daughters;They will devour your flocks and your herds;They will devour your (AG)vines and your fig trees;They will demolish with the sword your (AH)fortified cities in which you trust.
17 They will consume your harvest and your food.(AK)They will consume your sons and your daughters.They will consume your flocks and your herds.They will consume your vines and your fig trees.They will destroy with the swordyour fortified cities(AL) in which you trust.
17 "They'll devour your harvest and your food. They'll devour your sons and your daughters. They'll devour your vines and your fig trees. With their swords they'll batter down your fortified cities in which you trust.
18 But even in those days, says the Lord, I will not let your destruction be complete.
18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.
18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not make you a complete destruction.
18 "Yet even in those days," declares the LORD, "I won't destroy you completely.
19 And it will come about, when you say, Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us? that you will say to them, As you gave me up, making yourselves servants to strange gods in your land, so will you be servants to strange men in a land which is not yours.
19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
19 It shall come about (AI)when (f)they say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ then you shall say to them, ‘As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will (AJ)serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’
19 When people ask, ‘For what offense has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ You will respond to them: Just as you abandoned Me(AN) and served foreign gods in your land, so will you serve strangers in a land that is not yours.(AO)
19 When the people ask, "Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?' you are to say to them, "Just as you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.'"
God Warns His People
20 Say this openly in Jacob and give it out in Judah, saying,
20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
20 “Declare this in the house of JacobAnd proclaim it in Judah, saying,
20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob; proclaim it in Judah, saying:
20 "Declare this to the descendants of Jacob, and proclaim it in Judah:
21 Give ear now to this, O foolish people without sense; who have eyes but see nothing, and ears without the power of hearing:
21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
21 ‘Now hear this, O foolish and (g)senseless people,Who have (AK)eyes but do not see;Who have ears but do not hear.
21 Hear this,you foolish and senseless(e) people.(AP)They have eyes, but they don’t see.They have ears, but they don’t hear.(AQ)
21 "Hear this, you foolish and stupid people: They have eyes, but don't see; they have ears, but don't hear.
22 Have you no fear of me? says the Lord; will you not be shaking with fear before me, who have put the sand as a limit for the sea, by an eternal order, so that it may not go past it? and though it is ever in motion, it is not able to have its way; though the sound of its waves is loud, they are not able to go past it.
22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
22 ‘Do you not (AL)fear Me?’ declares the Lord.‘Do you not tremble in My presence?For I have (AM)placed the sand as a boundary for the sea,An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it.Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail;Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it.
22 Do you not fear Me?This is the Lord’s declaration.Do you not tremble before Me,the One who set the sand as the boundary of the sea,an enduring barrier that it cannot cross?(AR)The waves surge, but they cannot prevail.They roar but cannot pass over it.
22 "You don't fear me, do you?' declares the LORD. "You don't tremble before me, do you? I'm the one who put the sand as a boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot cross. Though the waves toss, they cannot prevail against it, though they roar, they cannot cross it.'
23 But the heart of this people is uncontrolled and turned away from me; they are broken loose and gone.
23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts.(AS)They have turned aside and have gone away.
23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned aside and have gone away.
24 And they do not say in their hearts, Now let us give worship to our God, who gives the rain, the winter and the spring rain, at the right time; who keeps for us the ordered weeks of the grain-cutting.
24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
24 ‘They do not say in their heart,“Let us now fear the Lord our God,Who (AO)gives rain in its season,Both (AP)the autumn rain and the spring rain,Who keeps for usThe (AQ)appointed weeks of the harvest.”
24 They have not said to themselves,‘Let’s fear the Lord our God,(AT)who gives the rain,(AU) both early and late,(AV) in its season,(AW)who guarantees to us the fixed weeks of the harvest.’
24 They don't say to themselves, "Let's fear the LORD our God, who gives rain in its season, both the autumn and the spring rain. He sets aside for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.'
25 Through your evil-doing these things have been turned away, and your sins have kept back good from you.
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
25 Your guilty acts have diverted these things from you.Your sins have withheld My bounty from you,(AX)
25 Your iniquities have turned these things away, and your sins have held back from you what is good.
26 For there are sinners among my people: they keep watch, like men watching for birds; they put a net and take men in it.
26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
26 ‘For wicked men are found among My people,They (AS)watch like fowlers (h)lying in wait;They set a trap,They catch men.
26 for wicked men live among My people.They watch like fowlers lying in wait.(f)(AY)They set a trap;(AZ)they catch men.
26 "Evil men are found among my people. They lie in wait like someone who traps birds. They set a trap, but they do so to catch people.
27 As the fowl-house is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: for this reason they have become great and have got wealth.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
27 ‘Like a cage full of birds,So their houses are full of (AT)deceit;Therefore they have become great and rich.
27 Like a cage full of birds,so their houses are full of deceit.(BA)Therefore they have grown powerful and rich.
27 Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are filled with treachery. This is how they have become prominent and rich,
28 They have become fat and strong: they have gone far in works of evil: they give no support to the cause of the child without a father, so that they may do well; they do not see that the poor man gets his rights.
28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
28 ‘They are (AU)fat, they are sleek,They also (i)excel in deeds of wickedness;They do not plead the cause,The cause of the (j)(AV)orphan, that they may prosper;And they do not (k)defend the rights of the poor.
28 They have become fat(BB) and sleek.They have also excelled in evil matters.They have not taken up cases,such as the case of the fatherless, so they might prosper,and they have not defended the rights of the needy.(BC)
28 and have grown fat and sleek. There is no limit to their evil deeds. They don't argue the case of the orphan to secure justice. They don't defend the rights of the poor.
29 Am I not to give punishment for these things? says the Lord: will not my soul take payment from such a nation as this?
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
29 ‘(AW)Shall I not punish (l)these people?’ declares the Lord,‘On a nation such as thisShall I not avenge Myself?’
29 Should I not punish them for these things?This is the Lord’s declaration.Should I not avenge Myself(BD)on such a nation as this?
29 "Should I not punish them for this?' asks the LORD. "Should I not avenge myself on a nation like this?'
31 The prophets give false words and the priests give decisions by their direction; and my people are glad to have it so: and what will you do in the end?
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
31 The (AY)prophets prophesy falsely,And the priests rule (m)on their own authority;And My people (AZ)love it so!But what will you do at the end of it?
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,(BF)and the priests rule by their own authority.My people love it like this.But what will you do at the end of it?(BG)
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?"