My peopleconsulttheir woodenidol, and their [diviner's] wandinformsthem; For a spiritof harlotryhas led[them] astray,And they have playedthe harlot,[departing] from their God.
Now [this] cameabout becausethe sonsof Israelhad sinnedagainst the LORDtheir God,who had broughtthem up from the landof Egyptfrom underthe handof Pharaoh,kingof Egypt,and they had fearedothergods
but have walkedin the wayof the kingsof Israel,and have caused Judahand the inhabitantsof Jerusalemto playthe harlotas the houseof Ahabplayedthe harlot,and you have alsokilledyour brothers,your own family,who were betterthanyou,
Thus they becameuncleanin their practices,And playedthe harlotin their deeds.
For, behold,those who are farfrom You will perish;You have destroyedallthose who are unfaithfulto You.
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
Who sayto a tree,'You are my father,'And to a stone,'You gaveme birth.'For they have turned[their] backto Me, And not [their] face;But in the timeof their troublethey will say,'Ariseand saveus.'
"Moreover, among the prophetsof SamariaI sawan offensivething:They prophesiedby Baaland ledMy peopleIsraelastray.
"What comesinto your mindwill not comeabout, whenyou say:'We will be like the nations,like the tribesof the lands,servingwoodand stone.'
"For the kingof Babylonstandsat the partingof the way,at the headof the twoways,to usedivination;he shakesthe arrows,he consultsthe householdidols,he looksat the liver.
"Assyriawill not saveus, We will not rideon horses;Norwill we sayagain,Our god,'To the workof our hands;For in You the orphanfindsmercy."
Their deedswill not allowthem To returnto their God.For a spiritof harlotryis withinthem, And they do not knowthe LORD.
In the houseof IsraelI have seena horriblething;Ephraim'sharlotryis there,Israelhas defileditself.
Do not rejoice,O Israel,with exultationlike the nations!For you have playedthe harlot,forsakingyour God.You have loved[harlots]' earningson everythreshingfloor.
"They shall nolongersacrificetheir sacrificesto the goatdemonswith whichthey playthe harlot.Thisshall be a permanentstatuteto them throughout their generations."'
then I Myselfwill setMy faceagainst that manand against his family,and I will cutofffrom amongtheir peopleboth him and allthose who playthe harlotafterhim, by playingthe harlotafterMolech.
"Ifa manwalkingafter windand falsehoodHad toldlies[and said], 'I will speakout to you concerning wineand liquor,'He would be spokesmanto thispeople.
"Woeto him who saysto a [piece of] wood,Awake!'To a mutestone,'Arise!'[And] that is [your] teacher?Behold,it is overlaidwith goldand silver,And thereis nobreathat allinsideit.
"It shall be a tasselfor you to lookat and rememberallthe commandmentsof the LORD,so as to dothem and not followafteryour own heartand your own eyes,afterwhichyou playedthe harlot,
The LORDsaidto Moses,"Behold,you are about to liedownwith your fathers;and thispeoplewill ariseand playthe harlotwith the strangegodsof the land,into the midstof whichthey are going,and will forsakeMe and breakMy covenantwhichI have madewith them.
They saidto him, "Inquireof God,please,that we may knowwhether our wayon whichwe are goingwill be prosperous."
