“Judah, how can you say to me,\par ‘I am not guilty;\par I have not worshiped the Baal {\cf2\super [13]} idols’?\par Think about the things you did in the valley.\par Think about what you have done.\par You are like a fast she-camel\par that runs from place to place.\par
You took your beautiful clothes and used them to decorate your places of worship. And you acted like a prostitute in those places. You gave yourself to every man that came by!
He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to speak to the family of Israel. Those people turned against me many times. And their ancestors turned against me. They have sinned against me many times—and they are still sinning against me today.
This was the Lord’s first message to Hosea. The Lord said, “Go, marry a prostitute {\cf2\super [1]} that has had children as a result of her prostitution. Why? Because the people in this country have acted like prostitutes—they have been unfaithful to the Lord.”
My people are asking pieces of wood for advice. They think those sticks will answer them. Why? Because they have chased after those false gods like prostitutes. {\cf2\super [38]} They left their God and became like prostitutes.