Chapter 4
God’s Case against His People
1
Hear the word of the LORD, O children of Israel, for the LORD has a case against the people of the land: “… There is no truth, no loving devotion, and no knowledge of God in the land!
𐤔𐤌𐤏𐤅 𐤃𐤁𐤓 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤁𐤍𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤊𐤉 𐤋𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤓𐤉𐤁 𐤏𐤌 𐤉𐤅𐤔𐤁𐤉 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤀𐤌𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤇𐤎𐤃 𐤅𐤀𐤉𐤍 𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤀𐤓𐤑
שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־ יְהוָ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כִּ֣י לַֽיהוָה֙ רִ֤יב עִם־ יוֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָ֔רֶץ כִּ֠י אֵין־ אֱמֶ֧ת וְֽאֵין־ חֶ֛סֶד וְאֵֽין־ דַּ֥עַת אֱלֹהִ֖ים בָּאָֽרֶץ׃ šim·‘ū ḏə·ḇar- Yah·weh bə·nê yiś·rā·’êl kî Yah·weh rîḇ ‘im- yō·wō·šə·ḇê hā·’ā·reṣ kî ’ên- ’ĕ·meṯ wə·’ên- ḥe·seḏ wə·’ên- da·‘aṯ ’ĕ·lō·hîm bā·’ā·reṣ — WLC · 1
2
Cursing and lying, murder and stealing, and adultery are rampant; one act of bloodshed… follows another.
𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤇𐤔 𐤅𐤓𐤑𐤇 𐤅𐤂𐤍𐤁 𐤅𐤍𐤀𐤐 𐤐𐤓𐤑𐤅 𐤅𐤃𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤁𐤃𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤍𐤂𐤏𐤅
אָלֹ֣ה וְכַחֵ֔שׁ וְרָצֹ֥חַ וְגָנֹ֖ב וְנָאֹ֑ף פָּרָ֕צוּ וְדָמִ֥ים בְּדָמִ֖ים נָגָֽעוּ׃ ’ā·lōh wə·ḵa·ḥêš wə·rā·ṣō·aḥ wə·ḡā·nōḇ wə·nā·’ōp̄ pā·rā·ṣū wə·ḏā·mîm bə·ḏā·mîm nā·ḡā·‘ū — WLC · 2
3
Therefore… the land mourns, and all who dwell in it will waste away with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air; even the fish of the sea disappear.
𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤄𐤀𐤓𐤑 𐤕𐤀𐤁𐤋 𐤊𐤋 𐤉𐤅𐤔𐤁 𐤁𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤋𐤋 𐤁𐤇𐤉𐤕 𐤄𐤔𐤃𐤄 𐤅𐤁𐤏𐤅𐤐 𐤄𐤔𐤌𐤉𐤌 𐤅𐤂𐤌 𐤃𐤂𐤉 𐤄𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤀𐤎𐤐𐤅
עַל־ כֵּ֣ן׀ הָאָ֗רֶץ תֶּאֱבַ֣ל כָּל־ יוֹשֵׁ֣ב בָּ֔הּ וְאֻמְלַל֙ בְּחַיַּ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה וּבְע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְגַם־ דְּגֵ֥י הַיָּ֖ם יֵאָסֵֽפוּ׃ ‘al- kên hā·’ā·reṣ te·’ĕ·ḇal kāl- yō·wō·šêḇ bāh wə·’um·lal bə·ḥay·yaṯ haś·śā·ḏeh ū·ḇə·‘ō·wp̄ haš·šā·mā·yim wə·ḡam- də·ḡê hay·yām yê·’ā·sê·p̄ū — WLC · 3
4
But let no man contend; let no man offer reproof; for your people [are] like those who contend with a priest.
𐤀𐤊 𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤉𐤓𐤁 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤀𐤉𐤔 𐤉𐤅𐤊𐤇 𐤅𐤏𐤌𐤊 𐤊𐤌𐤓𐤉𐤁𐤉 𐤊𐤄𐤍
אַ֥ךְ אַל־ אִ֛ישׁ יָרֵ֖ב וְאַל־ אִ֑ישׁ יוֹכַ֣ח וְעַמְּךָ֖ כִּמְרִיבֵ֥י כֹהֵֽן׃ ’aḵ ’al- ’îš yā·rêḇ wə·’al- ’îš yō·w·ḵaḥ wə·‘am·mə·ḵā kim·rî·ḇê ḵō·hên — WLC · 4
5
You will stumble by day, and the prophet… will stumble with you by night; so I will destroy your mother—
𐤅𐤊𐤔𐤋𐤕 𐤄𐤉𐤅𐤌 𐤍𐤁𐤉𐤀 𐤂𐤌 𐤅𐤊𐤔𐤋 𐤏𐤌𐤊 𐤋𐤉𐤋𐤄 𐤅𐤃𐤌𐤉𐤕𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤊
וְכָשַׁלְתָּ֣ הַיּ֔וֹם נָבִ֛יא גַּם־ וְכָשַׁ֧ל עִמְּךָ֖ לָ֑יְלָה וְדָמִ֖יתִי אִמֶּֽךָ׃ wə·ḵā·šal·tā hay·yō·wm nā·ḇî gam- wə·ḵā·šal ‘im·mə·ḵā lā·yə·lāh wə·ḏā·mî·ṯî ’im·me·ḵā — WLC · 5
6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you as My priests Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your children.
𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤍𐤃𐤌𐤅 𐤌𐤁𐤋𐤉 𐤄𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤌𐤀𐤎𐤕 𐤄𐤃𐤏𐤕 𐤅𐤀𐤌𐤀𐤎𐤀𐤊 𐤌𐤊𐤄𐤍 𐤋𐤉 𐤅𐤕𐤔𐤊𐤇 𐤕𐤅𐤓𐤕 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤊 𐤀𐤍𐤉 𐤂𐤌 𐤀𐤔𐤊𐤇 𐤁𐤍𐤉𐤊
עַמִּ֖י נִדְמ֥וּ מִבְּלִ֣י הַדָּ֑עַת כִּֽי־ אַתָּ֞ה מָאַ֗סְתָּ הַדַּ֣עַת וְאֶמְאָֽסְאךָ֙ מִכַּהֵ֣ן לִ֔י וַתִּשְׁכַּח֙ תּוֹרַ֣ת אֱלֹהֶ֔יךָ אָֽנִי׃ גַּם־ אֶשְׁכַּ֥ח בָּנֶ֖יךָ ‘am·mî niḏ·mū mib·bə·lî had·dā·‘aṯ kî- ’at·tāh mā·’as·tā had·da·‘aṯ wə·’em·’ā·sə·ḵā mik·ka·hên lî wat·tiš·kaḥ tō·w·raṯ ’ĕ·lō·he·ḵā ’ā·nî gam- ’eš·kaḥ bā·ne·ḵā — WLC · 6
7
The more they multiplied,… the more they sinned against Me; they exchanged their Glory for a thing of disgrace.
𐤊𐤓𐤁𐤌 𐤊𐤍 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤅 𐤋𐤉 𐤀𐤌𐤉𐤓 𐤊𐤁𐤅𐤃𐤌 𐤁𐤒𐤋𐤅𐤍
כְּרֻבָּ֖ם כֵּ֣ן חָֽטְאוּ־ לִ֑י אָמִֽיר׃ כְּבוֹדָ֖ם בְּקָל֥וֹן kə·rub·bām kên ḥā·ṭə·’ū- lî ’ā·mîr kə·ḇō·w·ḏām bə·qā·lō·wn — WLC · 7
8
They feed on the sins of My people and set their hearts on iniquity.
𐤉𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤇𐤈𐤀𐤕 𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤅 𐤍𐤐𐤔𐤅 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤏𐤅𐤍𐤌
יֹאכֵ֑לוּ חַטַּ֥את עַמִּ֖י יִשְׂא֥וּ נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃ וְאֶל־ עֲוֺנָ֖ם yō·ḵê·lū ḥaṭ·ṭaṯ ‘am·mî yiś·’ū nap̄·šōw wə·’el- ‘ă·wō·nām — WLC · 8
9
And it shall be like people, like priest. I will punish both of them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
𐤅𐤄𐤉𐤄 𐤊𐤏𐤌 𐤊𐤊𐤄𐤍 𐤅𐤐𐤒𐤃𐤕𐤉 𐤏𐤋𐤉𐤅 𐤃𐤓𐤊𐤉𐤅 𐤀𐤔𐤉𐤁 𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤏𐤋𐤋𐤉𐤅
וְהָיָ֥ה כָעָ֖ם כַּכֹּהֵ֑ן וּפָקַדְתִּ֤י עָלָיו֙ דְּרָכָ֔יו אָשִׁ֥יב לֽוֹ׃ וּמַעֲלָלָ֖יו wə·hā·yāh ḵā·‘ām kak·kō·hên ū·p̄ā·qaḏ·tî ‘ā·lāw də·rā·ḵāw ’ā·šîḇ lōw ū·ma·‘ă·lā·lāw — WLC · 9
10
They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply. For they have abandoned the LORD to give themselves
𐤅𐤀𐤊𐤋𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤅 𐤄𐤆𐤍𐤅 𐤅𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤐𐤓𐤑𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤀𐤕 𐤏𐤆𐤁𐤅 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤋𐤔𐤌𐤓
וְאָֽכְלוּ֙ וְלֹ֣א יִשְׂבָּ֔עוּ הִזְנ֖וּ וְלֹ֣א יִפְרֹ֑צוּ כִּֽי־ אֶת־ עָזְב֖וּ יְהוָ֥ה לִשְׁמֹֽר׃ wə·’ā·ḵə·lū wə·lō yiś·bā·‘ū hiz·nū wə·lō yip̄·rō·ṣū kî- ’eṯ- ‘ā·zə·ḇū Yah·weh liš·mōr — WLC · 10
11
to promiscuity, wine, and new wine, which take away understanding.
𐤆𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤉𐤉𐤍 𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤓𐤅𐤔 𐤉𐤒𐤇 𐤋𐤁
זְנ֛וּת וְיַ֥יִן וְתִיר֖וֹשׁ יִֽקַּֽח־ לֵֽב׃ zə·nūṯ wə·ya·yin wə·ṯî·rō·wōš yiq·qaḥ- lêḇ — WLC · 11
12
My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of prostitution leads them astray and they have played the harlot against their God.
𐤏𐤌𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤀𐤋 𐤁𐤏𐤑𐤅 𐤅𐤌𐤒𐤋𐤅 𐤉𐤂𐤉𐤃 𐤋𐤅 𐤊𐤉 𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤆𐤍𐤅𐤍𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤕𐤏𐤄 𐤅𐤉𐤆𐤍𐤅 𐤌𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤀𐤋𐤄𐤉𐤄𐤌
עַמִּי֙ יִשְׁאָ֔ל בְּעֵצ֣וֹ וּמַקְל֖וֹ יַגִּ֣יד ל֑וֹ כִּ֣י ר֤וּחַ זְנוּנִים֙ הִתְעָ֔ה וַיִּזְנ֖וּ מִתַּ֥חַת אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃ ‘am·mî yiš·’āl bə·‘ê·ṣōw ū·maq·lōw yag·gîḏ lōw kî rū·aḥ zə·nū·nîm hiṯ·‘āh way·yiz·nū mit·ta·ḥaṯ ’ĕ·lō·hê·hem — WLC · 12
13
They sacrifice on the mountaintops… and burn offerings on the hills, under oak, poplar, and terebinth, because their shade is pleasant. And so… your daughters turn to prostitution and your daughters-in-law to adultery.
𐤉𐤆𐤁𐤇𐤅 𐤏𐤋 𐤓𐤀𐤔𐤉 𐤄𐤄𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤉𐤒𐤈𐤓𐤅 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤄𐤂𐤁𐤏𐤅𐤕 𐤕𐤇𐤕 𐤀𐤋𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤋𐤁𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤀𐤋𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤑𐤋𐤄 𐤈𐤅𐤁 𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤍 𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤕𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤊𐤋𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤕𐤍𐤀𐤐𐤍𐤄
יְזַבֵּ֗חוּ עַל־ רָאשֵׁ֨י הֶהָרִ֜ים יְקַטֵּ֔רוּ וְעַל־ הַגְּבָעוֹת֙ תַּ֣חַת אַלּ֧וֹן וְלִבְנֶ֛ה וְאֵלָ֖ה כִּ֣י צִלָּ֑הּ ט֣וֹב עַל־ כֵּ֗ן בְּנ֣וֹתֵיכֶ֔ם תִּזְנֶ֙ינָה֙ וְכַלּוֹתֵיכֶ֖ם תְּנָאַֽפְנָה׃ yə·zab·bê·ḥū ‘al- rā·šê he·hā·rîm yə·qaṭ·ṭê·rū wə·‘al- hag·gə·ḇā·‘ō·wṯ ta·ḥaṯ ’al·lō·wn wə·liḇ·neh wə·’ê·lāh kî ṣil·lāh ṭō·wḇ ‘al- kên bə·nō·w·ṯê·ḵem tiz·ne·nāh wə·ḵal·lō·w·ṯê·ḵem tə·nā·’ap̄·nāh — WLC · 13
14
I will not punish… your daughters when they prostitute themselves, nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery. For the men themselves go off with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with shrine prostitutes. So a people without understanding will come to ruin.
𐤋𐤀 𐤀𐤐𐤒𐤅𐤃 𐤏𐤋 𐤁𐤍𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤆𐤍𐤉𐤍𐤄 𐤅𐤏𐤋 𐤊𐤋𐤅𐤕𐤉𐤊𐤌 𐤊𐤉 𐤕𐤍𐤀𐤐𐤍𐤄 𐤊𐤉 𐤄𐤌 𐤉𐤐𐤓𐤃𐤅 𐤏𐤌 𐤄𐤆𐤍𐤅𐤕 𐤉𐤆𐤁𐤇𐤅 𐤅𐤏𐤌 𐤄𐤒𐤃𐤔𐤅𐤕 𐤅𐤏𐤌 𐤋𐤀 𐤉𐤁𐤉𐤍 𐤉𐤋𐤁𐤈
לֹֽא־ אֶפְק֨וֹד עַל־ בְּנוֹתֵיכֶ֜ם כִּ֣י תִזְנֶ֗ינָה וְעַל־ כַּלּֽוֹתֵיכֶם֙ כִּ֣י תְנָאַ֔פְנָה כִּי־ הֵם֙ יְפָרֵ֔דוּ עִם־ הַזֹּנ֣וֹת יְזַבֵּ֑חוּ וְעִם־ הַקְּדֵשׁ֖וֹת וְעָ֥ם לֹֽא־ יָבִ֖ין יִלָּבֵֽט׃ lō- ’ep̄·qō·wḏ ‘al- bə·nō·w·ṯê·ḵem kî ṯiz·ne·nāh wə·‘al- kal·lō·w·ṯê·ḵem kî ṯə·nā·’ap̄·nāh kî- hêm yə·p̄ā·rê·ḏū ‘im- haz·zō·nō·wṯ yə·zab·bê·ḥū wə·‘im- haq·qə·ḏê·šō·wṯ wə·‘ām lō- yā·ḇîn yil·lā·ḇêṭ — WLC · 14
15
Though you prostitute yourself, O Israel, may Judah avoid such guilt! Do not journey to Gilgal, do not go up vvv to Beth-aven,… and do not swear on oath, ‘As surely as the LORD lives!’
𐤀𐤌 𐤀𐤕𐤄 𐤆𐤍𐤄 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤃𐤄 𐤀𐤋 𐤉𐤀𐤔𐤌 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤁𐤀𐤅 𐤄𐤂𐤋𐤂𐤋 𐤕𐤏𐤋𐤅 𐤁𐤉𐤕 𐤀𐤅𐤍 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤅𐤀𐤋 𐤕𐤔𐤁𐤏𐤅 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤇𐤉
אִם־ אַתָּה֙ זֹנֶ֤ה יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יְהוּדָ֑ה אַל־ יֶאְשַׁ֖ם וְאַל־ תָּבֹ֣אוּ הַגִּלְגָּ֗ל תַּעֲלוּ֙ בֵּ֣ית אָ֔וֶן וְאַל־ וְאַֽל־ תִּשָּׁבְע֖וּ יְהוָֽה׃ חַי־ ’im- ’at·tāh zō·neh yiś·rā·’êl yə·hū·ḏāh ’al- ye’·šam wə·’al- tā·ḇō·’ū hag·gil·gāl ta·‘ă·lū bêṯ ’ā·wen wə·’al- wə·’al- tiš·šā·ḇə·‘ū Yah·weh ḥay- — WLC · 15
16
For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn heifer. Can the LORD now shepherd them like lambs in an open meadow?
𐤊𐤉 𐤉𐤔𐤓𐤀𐤋 𐤎𐤓𐤓𐤄 𐤎𐤓𐤓 𐤊𐤐𐤓𐤄 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 𐤏𐤕𐤄 𐤉𐤓𐤏𐤌 𐤊𐤊𐤁𐤔 𐤁𐤌𐤓𐤇𐤁
כִּ֚י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל סֹֽרֵרָ֔ה סָרַ֖ר כְּפָרָ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה עַתָּה֙ יִרְעֵ֣ם כְּכֶ֖בֶשׂ בַּמֶּרְחָֽב׃ kî yiś·rā·’êl sō·rê·rāh sā·rar kə·p̄ā·rāh Yah·weh ‘at·tāh yir·‘êm kə·ḵe·ḇeś bam·mer·ḥāḇ — WLC · 16
17
Ephraim is joined to idols; leave him alone
𐤀𐤐𐤓𐤉𐤌 𐤇𐤁𐤅𐤓 𐤏𐤑𐤁𐤉𐤌 𐤄𐤍𐤇 𐤋𐤅
אֶפְרָ֖יִם חֲב֧וּר עֲצַבִּ֛ים הַֽנַּֽח־ לֽוֹ׃ ’ep̄·rā·yim ḥă·ḇūr ‘ă·ṣab·bîm han·naḥ- lōw — WLC · 17
18
When their liquor is gone, they turn to prostitution…; their rulers… dearly love disgrace.
𐤎𐤁𐤀𐤌 𐤎𐤓 𐤄𐤆𐤍𐤄 𐤄𐤆𐤍𐤅 𐤌𐤂𐤍𐤉𐤄 𐤄𐤁𐤅 𐤀𐤄𐤁𐤅 𐤒𐤋𐤅𐤍
סָבְאָ֑ם סָ֖ר הַזְנֵ֣ה הִזְנ֔וּ מָגִנֶּֽיהָ׃ הֵב֛וּ אָהֲב֥וּ קָל֖וֹן sā·ḇə·’ām sār haz·nêh hiz·nū mā·ḡin·ne·hā hê·ḇū ’ā·hă·ḇū qā·lō·wn — WLC · 18
19
The whirlwind has wrapped them in its wings, and their sacrifices will bring them shame.
𐤓𐤅𐤇 𐤑𐤓𐤓 𐤀𐤅𐤕𐤄 𐤁𐤊𐤍𐤐𐤉𐤄 𐤌𐤆𐤁𐤇𐤅𐤕𐤌𐤎 𐤅𐤉𐤁𐤔𐤅
ר֛וּחַ צָרַ֥ר אוֹתָ֖הּ בִּכְנָפֶ֑יהָ מִזִּבְחוֹתָֽםס וְיֵבֹ֖שׁוּ rū·aḥ ṣā·rar ’ō·w·ṯāh biḵ·nā·p̄e·hā miz·ziḇ·ḥō·ṯå̄·ms wə·yê·ḇō·šū — WLC · 19