1. Hear the word of the Lord, people of Israel,for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land:There is no truth, no faithful love, and no knowledge of God in the land!
2. Cursing, lying, murder, stealing, and adultery are rampant;one act of bloodshed follows another.
3. For this reason the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes,along with the wild animals and the birds of the sky;even the fish of the sea disappear.
4. But let no one dispute; let no one argue,for My case is against you priests.
5. You will stumble by day; the prophet will also stumble with you by night.And I will destroy your mother.
6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you from serving as My priest.Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons.
7. The more they multiplied, the more they sinned against Me.I will change their honor into disgrace.
8. They feed on the sin of My people; they have an appetite for their transgressions.
9. The same judgment will happento both people and priests. I will punish them for their ways and repay them for their deeds.
10. They will eat but not be satisfied; they will be promiscuous but not multiply.For they have abandoned their devotion to the Lord.
11. Promiscuity, wine, and new winetake away one’s understanding.