[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.
And shedinnocentblood,The bloodof their sonsand their daughters,Whomthey sacrificedto the idolsof Canaan;And the landwas pollutedwith the blood.
The earthis also pollutedby its inhabitants,for they transgressedlaws,violatedstatutes,brokethe everlastingcovenant.
"For longagoI brokeyour yoke[And] toreoffyour bonds;But you said,'I will not serve!'For on everyhighhillAnd undereverygreentreeYou have laindownas a harlot.
"Howcan you say,'I am not defiled,I have not goneafterthe Baals?Lookat your wayin the valley!Knowwhatyou have done!You are a swiftyoungcamelentanglingher ways,
"I broughtyou into the fruitfullandTo eatits fruitand its goodthings.But you cameand defiledMy land,And My inheritanceyou madean abomination.
"Goup to Lebanonand cryout, And liftup your voicein Bashan;Cryout also from Abarim,For allyour lovershave been crushed.
"Return,O faithlesssons,I will healyour faithlessness.""Behold,we cometo You; For You are the LORDour God.
"Becauseof the lightnessof her harlotry,she pollutedthe landand committedadulterywith stonesand trees.
"Howlongwill you gohereand there,O faithlessdaughter?For the LORDhas createda newthingin the earth--A womanwill encompassa man."
"Ifyou will return,O Israel,"declaresthe LORD,"[Then] you should returnto Me. And ifyou will putawayyour detestedthingsfrom My presence,And will not waver,
Washyour heartfrom evil,O Jerusalem,That you may be saved.Howlongwill your wickedthoughtsLodgewithinyou?
She weepsbitterlyin the nightAnd her tearsare on her cheeks;She hasnoneto comforther Amongallher lovers.Allher friendshave dealttreacherouslywith her; They have becomeher enemies.
"You also playedthe harlotwith the Egyptians,your lustfulneighbors,and multipliedyour harlotryto makeMe angry.
"Howlanguishingis your heart,"declaresthe LordGOD,"while you doallthesethings,the actionsof a bold-facedharlot.
Therefore,O harlot,hearthe wordof the LORD.
"Sayto them, 'As I live!'declaresthe LordGOD,'I takenopleasurein the deathof the wicked,but ratherthat the wickedturnfrom his wayand live.Turnback,turnbackfrom your evilways!Whythen will you die,O houseof Israel?'
When the LORDfirstspokethrough Hosea,the LORDsaidto Hosea,"Go,taketo yourself a wifeof harlotryand [have] childrenof harlotry;for the landcommitsflagrantharlotry,forsakingthe LORD."
"Contendwith your mother,contend,For she is not my wife,and I am not her husband;And let her putawayher harlotryfrom her faceAnd her adulteryfrom betweenher breasts,
"Ariseand go,For thisis noplaceof restBecauseof the uncleannessthat bringson destruction,A painfuldestruction.
"Therefore sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Returnto Me," declaresthe LORDof hosts,"that I may returnto you," saysthe LORDof hosts.
"It was said,WHOEVERSENDSHIS WIFEAWAY,LET HIM GIVEHER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE';
then they shall bringout the girlto the doorwayof her father'shouse,and the menof her cityshall stoneher to deathbecauseshe has committedan actof follyin Israelby playingthe harlotin her father'shouse;thus you shall purgethe evilfrom amongyou.
But his concubineplayedthe harlotagainsthim, and she wentaway from him to her father'shousein Bethlehemin Judah,and was therefor a periodof fourmonths.
