16
1 Again
the LORD’s word
came to me,
saying,
2 “Son
of man, cause
Jerusalem to know
her abominations;
3 and say, ‘The
Lord GOD says
to Jerusalem: “Your
origin and your
birth is of
the land of the
Canaanite. An Amorite was
your father, and
your mother was a
Hittite.
4 As
for your birth,
in the day
you were born
your navel was
not cut.
You weren’t washed
in water to cleanse
you. You weren’t
salted at all,
nor wrapped
in blankets at all.
5 No
eye pitied you,
to do any
of these things
to you, to
have compassion on
you; but you
were cast out
in the open
field, because you
were abhorred in
the day that
you were born.
6 “ ‘ “When
I passed by
you, and saw
you wallowing in
your blood, I said
to you, ‘Though
you are in
your blood, live!’
Yes, I said to
you, ‘Though you
are in your
blood, live!’
7 I
caused you to
multiply as that
which grows in
the field, and
you increased and
grew great, and
you attained to
excellent beauty. Your
breasts were
formed, and your
hair grew; yet
you were naked
and bare.
8 “ ‘ “Now
when I passed
by you, and
looked at you,
behold, your time
was the time
of love; and
I spread my
garment over you
and covered your
nakedness. Yes,
I pledged myself to
you and entered
into a covenant
with you,” says
the Lord GOD, “and
you became mine.
9 “ ‘ “Then I
washed you with
water. Yes, I thoroughly
washed away your
blood from you,
and I anointed
you with oil.
10 I clothed
you also with
embroidered work
and put leather
sandals on you. I
dressed you with
fine linen and
covered you with
silk.
11 I
decked you with
ornaments, put
bracelets on your
hands, and put
a chain on
your neck.
12 I
put a ring
on your nose,
earrings in
your ears, and a
beautiful crown on
your head.
13 Thus you
were decked with
gold and silver.
Your clothing was
of fine linen,
silk, and
embroidered work.
You ate fine flour,
honey, and oil.
You were
exceedingly beautiful,
and you prospered
to royal estate.
14 Your
renown went out
among the nations
for your beauty;
for it was
perfect, through
my majesty which
I had put
on you,” says
the Lord GOD.
15 “ ‘ “But
you trusted in
your beauty, and
played the
prostitute because
of your renown,
and poured out
your prostitution on
everyone who
passed by. It
was his.
16 You
took some of
your garments, and
made for
yourselves high
places decked with
various colors,
and played the
prostitute on them.
This shouldn’t happen,
neither shall it
be.
17 You
also took your
beautiful jewels
of my gold
and of my
silver, which I
had given you,
and made for
yourself images of
men, and played
the prostitute
with them.
18 You
took your
embroidered garments, covered
them, and set
my oil and
my incense before
them.
19 My
bread also which
I gave you,
fine flour, oil,
and honey, with
which I fed you,
you even set it
before them for
a pleasant aroma;
and so it
was,” says the
Lord GOD.
20 “ ‘ “Moreover
you have taken
your sons and
your daughters, whom
you have borne
to me, and
you have
sacrificed these
to them to
be devoured. Was
your prostitution a
small matter,
21 that
you have slain
my children and
delivered them up,
in causing them to
pass through
the fire to them?
22 In
all your
abominations and
your prostitution you
have not
remembered the
days of your
youth, when you
were naked and
bare, and
were wallowing in
your blood.
23 “ ‘ “It
has happened after
all your
wickedness—woe, woe to
you!” says the
Lord GOD—
24 “that
you have built
for yourselves
a vaulted place,
and have made
yourselves a lofty
place in every
street.
25 You
have built
your lofty place
at the head
of every way,
and have made
your beauty
an abomination, and
have opened your
feet to everyone
who passed by,
and multiplied
your prostitution.
26 You
have also committed sexual
immorality with the
Egyptians, your
neighbors, great
of flesh; and
have multiplied
your prostitution, to
provoke me to
anger.
27 See
therefore, I have
stretched out my
hand over you,
and have
diminished your
portion, and
delivered you to
the will of
those who hate
you, the daughters
of the Philistines,
who are ashamed
of your lewd
way.
28 You
have played the
prostitute also
with the Assyrians,
because you
were insatiable; yes,
you have played
the prostitute
with them, and
yet you weren’t
satisfied.
29 You
have moreover
multiplied your prostitution
to the land of
merchants, to
Chaldea; and yet
you weren’t satisfied
with this.
30 “ ‘ “How
weak is your
heart,” says the
Lord GOD, “since
you do all
these things, the
work of an impudent
prostitute;
31 in
that you build
your vaulted place
at the head
of every way,
and make your lofty
place in every
street, and have
not been as
a prostitute, in
that you scorn pay.
32 “ ‘ “Adulterous
wife, who takes
strangers instead
of her husband!
33 People give
gifts to all
prostitutes; but
you give your
gifts to all
your lovers, and
bribe them, that
they may come to
you on every
side for
your prostitution.
34 You
are different
from other women in
your prostitution, in
that no one follows
you to play
the prostitute;
and whereas you
give hire, and
no hire is given
to you, therefore
you are
different.” ’
35 “Therefore,
prostitute, hear
the LORD’s word:
36 ‘The
Lord GOD says, “Because
your filthiness
was poured out,
and your nakedness
uncovered through
your prostitution with
your lovers; and
because of all
the idols of
your abominations,
and for the
blood of your
children, that you
gave to them;
37 therefore
see, I will
gather all
your lovers, with whom
you have taken
pleasure, and all
those whom you
have loved, with
all those whom you
have hated. I
will even gather
them against you
on every side,
and will uncover
your nakedness to
them, that they may
see all your
nakedness.
38 I
will judge you
as women who break wedlock
and shed blood
are judged; and
I will bring
on you the
blood of wrath
and jealousy.
39 I
will also give
you into their
hand, and they
will throw down
your vaulted place,
and break down
your lofty places.
They will strip
you of your clothes
and take your
beautiful jewels.
They will leave
you naked and
bare.
40 They
will also bring up
a company against
you, and they
will stone you
with stones, and thrust
you through with
their swords.
41 They
will burn your
houses with fire,
and execute
judgments on you
in the sight
of many women. I
will cause you
to cease from
playing the
prostitute, and
you will also
give no hire any
more.
42 So
I will cause my
wrath toward you
to rest, and
my jealousy will
depart from you.
I will be
quiet, and will
not be angry
any more.
43 “ ‘ “Because
you have not
remembered the
days of your
youth, but
have raged against
me in all
these things;
therefore, behold,
I also will
bring your way
on your head,”
says the Lord
GOD: “and you
shall not commit
this lewdness with
all your
abominations.
44 “ ‘ “Behold,
everyone who uses
proverbs will use
this proverb
against you, saying, ‘As
is the mother, so
is her daughter.’
45 You are
the daughter of
your mother, who loathes
her husband and
her children;
and you are
the sister of
your sisters, who
loathed their husbands
and their children.
Your mother was a
Hittite, and your
father an Amorite.
46 Your
elder sister is
Samaria, who
dwells at your
left hand, she
and her daughters;
and your
younger sister, who
dwells at your
right hand, is
Sodom with her
daughters.
47 Yet
you have not
walked in their
ways, nor done
their abominations;
but soon you
were more corrupt
than they in
all your ways.
48 As
I live,” says
the Lord GOD, “Sodom
your sister has
not done, she nor
her daughters, as
you have done,
you and your
daughters.
49 “ ‘ “Behold,
this was the
iniquity of
your sister Sodom:
pride, fullness of
bread, and prosperous
ease was in
her and in
her daughters. She
also didn’t strengthen
the hand of
the poor and
needy.
50 They
were arrogant and
committed abomination
before me.
Therefore I took
them away when
I saw it.
51 Samaria hasn’t committed
half of your
sins; but you
have multiplied
your abominations
more than they,
and have justified
your sisters by
all your
abominations which
you have done.
52 You
also bear your own
shame yourself, in
that you have
given judgment for
your sisters; through
your sins that
you have committed
more abominable
than they, they
are more righteous
than you. Yes,
be also confounded,
and bear your
shame, in that
you have justified
your sisters.
53 “ ‘ “I
will reverse their
captivity, the
captivity of Sodom
and her daughters,
and the captivity
of Samaria and
her daughters, and
the captivity of
your captives
among them;
54 that
you may bear
your own shame,
and may be
ashamed because of
all that you
have done, in
that you are
a comfort to
them.
55 Your sisters, Sodom
and her daughters,
will return to
their former
estate; and
Samaria and her
daughters will
return to their
former estate; and
you and your
daughters will
return to your
former estate.
56 For
your sister Sodom
was not mentioned
by your mouth
in the day
of your pride,
57 before
your wickedness
was uncovered, as
at the time
of the reproach
of the daughters
of Syria, and of
all who are
around her, the
daughters of the
Philistines, who
despise you all
around.
58 You
have borne your
lewdness and your
abominations,” says
the LORD.
59 “ ‘For
the Lord GOD
says: “I will
also deal with
you as you
have done, who
have despised the oath
in breaking the
covenant.
60 Nevertheless
I will remember
my covenant with
you in the
days of your
youth, and I
will establish an
everlasting covenant
with you.
61 Then
you will remember
your ways and
be ashamed when
you receive
your sisters, your
elder sisters and
your younger; and
I will give
them to you
for daughters, but
not by your
covenant.
62 I
will establish my
covenant with you.
Then you will
know that I
am the LORD;
63 that
you may remember,
and be confounded,
and never open
your mouth any
more because of
your shame, when
I have forgiven
you all that
you have done,”
says the Lord
GOD.’ ”