| 1 ¶ Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel: for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land.
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| 2 By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood1 toucheth blood.
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| 3 Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be taken away.
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| 4 Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.
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| 5 Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy2 thy mother.
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| 6 ¶ My people are destroyed3 for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
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| 7 As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame.
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| 8 They eat up the sin of my people, and they set4 their heart on their iniquity.
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| 9 And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish5 them for their ways, and reward6 them their doings.
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| 10 For they shall eat, and not have enough: they shall commit whoredom, and shall not increase: because they have left off to take heed to the LORD.
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| 11 Whoredom and wine and new wine take away the heart.
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| 12 ¶ My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused them to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.
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| 13 They sacrifice upon the tops of the mountains, and burn incense upon the hills, under oaks and poplars and elms, because the shadow thereof is good: therefore your daughters shall commit whoredom, and your spouses shall commit adultery.
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| 14 I will not7 punish your daughters when they commit whoredom, nor your spouses when they commit adultery: for themselves are separated with whores, and they sacrifice with harlots: therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.8
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| 15 Though thou, Israel, play the harlot, yet let not Judah offend; and come not ye unto Gilgal, neither go ye up to Bethaven, nor swear, The LORD liveth.
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| 16 For Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer: now the LORD will feed them as a lamb in a large place.
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| 17 Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone.
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| 18 Their drink is sour:9 they have committed whoredom continually: her rulers10 with shame do love, Give ye.
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| 19 The wind hath bound her up in her wings, and they shall be ashamed because of their sacrifices.
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