Now it was about threemonthslater that Judahwas informed,"Your daughter-in-lawTamarhas playedthe harlot,and behold,she is alsowith childby harlotry."Then Judahsaid,"Bringher out and let her be burned!"
But Godcameto Abimelechin a dreamof the night,and saidto him, "Behold,you are a deadman becauseof the womanwhomyou have taken,for she is married."
"Nowtherefore, restorethe man'swife,for he is a prophet,and he will prayfor you and you will live.But ifyou do not restore[her], knowthat you shall surelydie,you and allwhoare yours."
Then AbimelechcalledAbrahamand saidto him, "Whathave you doneto us? And howhave I sinnedagainst you, that you have broughton me and on my kingdoma greatsin?You have doneto me thingsthat ought not to be done."
But they said,"Should he treatour sisteras a harlot?"
Then Judahsaid,"Let her keepthem, otherwisewe will becomea laughingstock.Afterall,I sentthisyounggoat,but you did not findher."
Then David'sangerburnedgreatlyagainst the man,and he saidto Nathan,"As the LORDlives,surelythe manwho has donethisdeservesto die.
Nathanthen saidto David,"You are the man!Thussaysthe LORDGodof Israel,It is I who anointedyou kingoverIsraeland it is I who deliveredyou from the handof Saul.
And I discoveredmorebitterthandeaththe womanwhoseheartis snaresand nets,whose handsare chains.Onewhois pleasingto Godwill escapefrom her, but the sinnerwill be capturedby her.
"For longagoI brokeyour yoke[And] toreoffyour bonds;But you said,'I will not serve!'For on everyhighhillAnd undereverygreentreeYou have laindownas a harlot.
[God] says,"Ifa husbanddivorceshis wifeAnd she goesfrom him And belongsto anotherman,Will he stillreturnto her? Will not that landbe completelypolluted?But you are a harlot[with] manylovers;Yet you turnto Me," declaresthe LORD.
Then the LORDsaidto me in the daysof Josiahthe king,"Have you seenwhatfaithlessIsraeldid?She wentup on everyhighhilland undereverygreentree,and she was a harlotthere.
"And I sawthat for allthe adulteriesof faithlessIsrael,I had senther awayand givenher a writof divorce,yet her treacheroussisterJudahdid not fear;but she wentand was a harlotalso.
"But you trustedin your beautyand playedthe harlotbecauseof your fame,and you pouredout your harlotrieson everypasser-bywho might be [willing].
"You builtyourself a highplaceat the topof everystreetand madeyour beautyabominable,and you spreadyour legsto everypasser-byto multiplyyour harlotry.
"You also playedthe harlotwith the Egyptians,your lustfulneighbors,and multipliedyour harlotryto makeMe angry.
"Moreover, you playedthe harlotwith the Assyriansbecauseyou were not satisfied;you playedthe harlotwith them and stillwere not satisfied.
"They will burnyour houseswith fireand executejudgmentson you in the sightof manywomen.Then I will stopyou from playingthe harlot,and you will alsonolongerpayyour lovers.
"Yet she multipliedher harlotries,rememberingthe daysof her youth,whenshe playedthe harlotin the landof Egypt.
"But they wentin to her as they would goin to a harlot.Thusthey wentin to Oholahand to Oholibah,the lewdwomen.
"Oholahplayedthe harlotwhileshe was Mine;and she lustedafterher lovers,afterthe Assyrians,[her] neighbors,
"For their motherhas playedthe harlot;She who conceivedthem has actedshamefully.For she said,I will goaftermy lovers,Who give[me] my breadand my water,My wooland my flax,my oiland my drink.'
Then I saidto her, "You shall staywith me for manydays.You shall not playthe harlot,norshall you havea man;so I will alsobe towardyou."
Thoughyou, Israel,playthe harlot,Do not let Judahbecomeguilty;Also do not goto Gilgal,Or goup to Beth-avenAnd takethe oath:"As the LORDlives!"
If [there is] a manwhocommitsadulterywith another man'swife,one whocommitsadulterywith his friend'swife,the adultererand the adulteressshall surelybe putto death.
Also the daughterof anypriest,ifshe profanesherself by harlotry,she profanesher father;she shall be burnedwith fire.
The faithwhichyou have,haveas your own convictionbeforeGod.Happyis he who does not condemnhimselfin whathe approves.
"Fathersshall not be putto deathfor [their] sons,norshall sonsbe putto deathfor [their] fathers;everyoneshall be putto deathfor his own sin.
But his concubineplayedthe harlotagainsthim, and she wentaway from him to her father'shousein Bethlehemin Judah,and was therefor a periodof fourmonths.
