1 Israel, listen

as the Lord accuses

everyone in the land!

No one is faithful or loyal

or truly cares about God.

2 Cursing, dishonesty, murder,

robbery, unfaithfulness—

these happen all the time.

Violence is everywhere.

3 And so your land is a desert.

Every living creature is dying—

people and wild animals,

birds and fish.

4 Don't accuse just anyone!

Not everyone is at fault.

My case is against you,

the priests.*

5 You and the prophets

will stumble day and night;

I'll silence your mothers.

6 You priests have rejected me,

and my people are destroyed

by refusing to obey.

Now I'll reject you and forget

your children, because you

have forgotten my Law.

7 By adding more of you priests,

you multiply the number

of people who sin.

Now I'll change your pride

into shame.

8 You encourage others to sin,

so you can stuff yourselves

on their sin offerings.

9 That's why I will punish

the people for their deeds,

just as I will punish

you priests.

10 Their food won't satisfy,

and having sex at pagan shrines

won't produce children.

My people have rebelled

11 and have been unfaithful

to me, their Lord.

My people, you are foolish

because of too much pleasure

and too much wine.

12 You expect wooden idols

and other objects of wood

to give you advice.

Lusting for sex at pagan shrines

has made you unfaithful

to me, your God.

13 You offer sacrifices

on mountaintops and hills,

under oak trees, and wherever

good shade is found.

Your own daughters

and daughters-in-law

sell themselves for sex.

14 But I won't punish them.

You men are to blame,

because you go to prostitutes

and offer sacrifices with them

at pagan shrines.

Your own foolishness

will lead to your ruin.

15 Israel, you are unfaithful,

but don't lead Judah to sin.

Stop worshiping at Gilgal

or at sinful Bethel.*

And quit making promises

in my name—the name

of the living Lord.

16 You are nothing more

than a stubborn cow—

so stubborn that I, the Lord,

cannot feed you like lambs

in an open pasture.

17 You people of Israel*

are charmed by* idols.

Leave those people alone!

18 You get drunk, then sleep

with prostitutes;

you would rather be vulgar

than lead a decent life.*

19 And so you will be swept away*

in a whirlwind

for sacrificing to idols.