Israelis a luxuriantvine;He producesfruitfor himself. The morehis fruit,The morealtarshe made;The richerhis land,The betterhe madethe [sacred] pillars.
For they alsobuiltfor themselves highplacesand [sacred] pillarsand Asherimon everyhighhilland beneatheveryluxurianttree.
"For your godsare as manyas your cities,O Judah;and as manyas the streetsof Jerusalemare the altarsyou have setup to the shamefulthing,altarsto burnincenseto Baal.
The LORDof hosts,who plantedyou, has pronouncedevilagainstyou becauseof the evilof the houseof Israeland of the houseof Judah,whichthey have doneto provokeMe by offeringup sacrificesto Baal.
"But whereare your godsWhichyou madefor yourself? Let them arise,ifthey can saveyou In the timeof your trouble;For [according to] the numberof your citiesAre your gods,O Judah.
Is there iniquity[in] Gilead?Surelythey are worthless.In Gilgalthey sacrificebulls,Yes,their altarsare like the stoneheapsBesidethe furrowsof the field.
And Ephraimsaid,"SurelyI have becomerich,I have foundwealthfor myself; In allmy laborsthey will findin me Noiniquity,which[would be] sin."
Thoughhe flourishesamongthe reeds,An eastwindwill come,The windof the LORDcomingup from the wilderness;And his fountainwill becomedryAnd his springwill be driedup; It will plunder[his] treasuryof everypreciousarticle.
And nowthey sinmoreand more,And makefor themselves moltenimages,Idolsskillfullymade from their silver,Allof them the workof craftsmen.They sayof them, "Let the menwho sacrificekissthe calves!"
As [they had] their pasture,they becamesatisfied,And beingsatisfied,their heartbecameproud;Thereforethey forgotMe.
"And thenI will uncoverher lewdnessIn the sightof her lovers,And noonewill rescueher out of My hand.
"For she does not knowthat it was I who gaveher the grain,the newwineand the oil,And lavishedon her silverand gold,[Which] they usedfor Baal.
For the sonsof Israelwill remainfor manydayswithoutkingor prince,withoutsacrificeor [sacred] pillarand withoutephodor householdidols.
The more they multiplied,the morethey sinnedagainst Me; I will changetheir gloryinto shame.
SinceEphraimhas multipliedaltarsfor sin,They have becomealtarsof sinningfor him.
They have setup kings,but not by Me; They have appointedprinces,but I did not know[it]. With their silverand goldthey have madeidolsfor themselves, That they might be cutoff.
You shall not makefor yourselves idols,norshall you setup for yourselves an imageor a [sacred] pillar,norshall you placea figuredstonein your landto bowdownto it; for I am the LORDyour God.
For the LORDwill restorethe splendorof JacobLike the splendorof Israel,Even thoughdevastatorshave devastatedthem And destroyedtheir vinebranches.
Thereforefrom nowon we recognizeno oneaccordingto the flesh;eventhoughwe have knownChristaccordingto the flesh,yetnowwe know[Him] [in this way] no longer.
For they allseek aftertheir owninterests, not thoseof ChristJesus.
