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.

Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: {blindness: or, hardness}

What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh.

For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. {images: or, standing images, or, statues}

Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. {revolt...: Heb. increase revolt}

There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. {whore: or, sodomitess}

There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

Who {is} wise, and he shall understand these {things}? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD {are} right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.

Therefore shalt thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother. {destroy: Heb. cut off}

And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.

And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that {were} by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove. {hangings: Heb. houses}

Yea, {they are} greedy dogs {which} can never have enough, and they {are} shepherds {that} cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. {greedy: Heb. strong of appetite} {can...: Heb. know not to be satisfied}

But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.

They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; {and} their hearts, that they cannot understand. {shut: Heb. daubed}

Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all {things}.

Ephraim {is} joined to idols: let him alone.

Why do ye not understand my speech? {even} because ye cannot hear my word.

In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains: in the midst of thee they commit lewdness. {that...: Heb. of slanders}

I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstripe in the fig tree at her first time: {but} they went to Baalpeor, and separated themselves unto {that} shame; and {their} abominations were according as they loved.

These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.

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.

For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:

None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.