耶路撒冷的不忠
1耶和华对我说： 2“人子啊，你要使耶路撒冷知道她的可憎行径。 3你要告诉她，主耶和华这样对她说，‘你祖居迦南，生于迦南。你的父亲是亚摩利人，母亲是赫人。 4你出生时没人剪断你的脐带，没人用水洗你的身体，用盐擦净你，用布包裹你。 5没有人可怜你，同情你，为你做以上的事。你生下来便遭人厌恶，被扔在野外。
6“‘我从你旁边经过，见你在血泊中挣扎，便对血泊中的你说，活下去！ 7我使你像田间的植物一样茁壮生长。你渐渐发育成熟，长得亭亭玉立，双乳丰满，秀发垂肩，但仍然赤身露体。
8“‘后来我又从你旁边经过，见你正值少女怀春，我便用衣襟遮盖你的身体，向你起誓，与你定下婚约，你便属于我。这是主耶和华说的。 9我用水洗净你身上的血污，给你涂上馨香的油， 10穿上锦绣的衣裳和海狗皮的鞋，披上细麻衣和丝绸外袍。 11我用首饰来装扮你，给你戴上手镯、项链、 12鼻环、耳环和华冠。 13这样，你戴的是金银首饰，穿的是绫罗绸缎，吃的是细面粉、蜂蜜和油。你变得美艳绝伦，晋升为王后。 14你的美貌名扬四方，因为我给你的华贵使你美貌无比。这是主耶和华说的。
15“‘你却仗着自己的美貌和名声纵情淫乱，与所有过路的人苟合。 16你用自己的衣服在拜偶像的地方结彩，在那里行淫。这样的事真是空前绝后！ 17你用我给你的金银首饰为自己制造男人的像，与他们苟合。 18你给他们穿上锦绣衣服，把我给你的膏油和香料供奉他们。 19你把我赐你吃的细面粉、油和蜂蜜作为馨香的供物奉献在他们面前。这是主耶和华说的。 20你还把你给我生的儿女烧作燔祭献给偶像。难道你淫乱还不够吗？ 21你竟屠杀我的儿女，把他们焚烧献给偶像。 22你做这一切可憎、淫乱的事，忘记了你幼年赤身露体，在血泊中挣扎的日子。
23“‘主耶和华说，你有祸了！你有祸了！你不但做了这些恶事， 24还为自己筑祭坛，在各广场建高高的神庙。 25你在街头巷尾建高高的神庙，糟蹋自己的美貌。你向每一个过路的人投怀送抱，纵情淫乱， 26甚至与放纵情欲的邻邦埃及人苟合，激起我的愤怒。 27看吧，我要伸手攻击你，削减你的口粮，把你交给憎恨你的非利士人，任他们宰割。他们会为你的淫荡行为感到羞耻。 28你欲海难填，又跟亚述人行淫，但仍不满足， 29于是又跟那商贾之地的迦勒底人行淫，但仍不满足。
30“‘主耶和华说，你的心败坏至极，简直就像不知羞耻的娼妓， 31因为你在街头巷尾筑祭坛，在广场建高高的神庙，甚至不收淫资，实在连妓女都不如。 32你这荡妇，宁愿跟外人淫乱，也不爱自己的丈夫。 33妓女接受淫资，你却送礼物给所有的情人，引诱他们从四方前来跟你淫乱。 34你卖淫不同于别的妓女，没有人给你淫资，你倒贴钱给人，你真是与众不同。
主对耶路撒冷的审判和应许
35“‘你这淫妇，要听耶和华的话。 36主耶和华说，你放纵情欲，赤身露体地与众情人苟合。你祭拜一切可憎的偶像，把自己儿女的血献给它们。 37因此，我要把你所爱和所恨的情人都聚集起来，从四方攻击你，让你赤裸裸地显露在他们面前，让他们看到你赤身露体。 38我要惩罚你，像惩罚淫乱和杀人的妇女一样。我要把烈怒和义愤倒在你身上，报应你杀人流血的罪。 39我要把你交在你的情人手里。他们必拆毁你的祭坛，夷平你高高的神庙，剥去你的衣裳，夺走你的珠宝，留下你赤身露体。 40他们要聚众攻击你，用石头打你，用刀剑砍碎你， 41烧毁你的房屋，在众妇女面前审判你。我要阻止你的淫乱行为，使你不再倒贴钱给情人。 42这样，我的烈怒才会平息，我的义愤才会消除，我才会平静下来，不再发怒。 43因为你忘记了幼年的日子，做这些事来惹我发怒，我要照你的所作所为报应你。因为你不仅行一切可憎的事，还放荡淫乱。这是主耶和华说的。
44“‘好说俗语的人都会讥讽你说，有其母必有其女。 45你和你母亲及姊妹如出一辙，都厌弃自己的丈夫和儿女。你母亲是赫人，你父亲是亚摩利人。 46你姐姐是撒玛利亚，她和她的女儿们住在你的北面。你妹妹是所多玛，她和她的女儿们住在你的南面。 47你不仅追随她们可憎的行径，还很快超过了她们。 48我凭我的永恒起誓，与你妹妹所多玛和她女儿们相比，你和你女儿们的行径有过之而无不及。这是主耶和华说的。 49看啊，你妹妹所多玛和她的女儿们傲慢狂妄，安逸饱足，对穷困的人漠不关心。 50她们心骄气傲，在我面前做可憎的事，我看见后便除掉了她们。 51撒玛利亚的罪还不及你的一半，你做的事比她们做的更可憎，以致与你相比，你的姊妹倒显得公义了。 52既然你帮了你的姊妹，使她们显得公义，你就蒙受羞辱吧！因为你犯的罪比你姊妹犯的罪更可憎，以致她们显得比你更公义。因此，你就自取其辱，抱愧蒙羞吧！
53“‘然而，我要使所多玛、撒玛利亚及她们的女儿们复兴，并使你一同复兴， 54让你自取其辱，深感羞愧，因为你的一切恶行使她们反得安慰。 55你姊妹所多玛、撒玛利亚和她们的众女儿，以及你和你的众女儿必恢复起初的光景。 56-57在你骄傲的日子，你的恶行还没有被揭露的时候，你觉得妹妹所多玛不屑一提。但现在，你却成为以东的众女儿和她四邻非利士的众女儿的笑柄。你周围的人都鄙视你。 58你要承担淫荡和可憎行径带来的惩罚。这是耶和华说的。
59“‘主耶和华说，你背誓毁约，我必照你的所作所为报应你。 60然而，我顾念在你幼年时与你所立的约，我要与你立一个永远的约。 61你接纳你姊妹的时候，会想起自己的所作所为并自觉羞愧。我要将你姊妹赐给你作女儿，我这样做并不是出于我与你所立的约。 62我要和你立约，使你知道我是耶和华。 63我要赦免你所有的罪，那时你想起这事会羞愧难当，不敢再开口。这是主耶和华说的。’”
Jerusalem Is Like an Unfaithful Wife
1A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said, 2“Son of man, tell the people of Jerusalem the evil things they have done. I hate those things. 3Tell them, ‘The Lord and King speaks to Jerusalem. He says, “Your history in the land of Canaan goes back a long way. Your father was an Amorite. Your mother was a Hittite. 4On the day you were born your cord was not cut. You were not washed with water to clean you up. You were not rubbed with salt. And you were not wrapped in large strips of cloth. 5No one took pity on you. No one was concerned enough to do any of these things for you. Instead, you were thrown out into an open field. You were hated on the day you were born.
6“ ‘ “I was passing by. I saw you kicking around in your blood. As you were lying there, I said to you, ‘Live!’ 7I made you grow like a plant in a field. Soon you had grown up. You became a young adult. Your breasts had formed. Your hair had grown. But you were completely naked.
8“ ‘ “Later, I was passing by again. I looked at you. I saw that you were old enough for love. So I married you and took good care of you. I covered your naked body. I made a firm promise to you. I entered into a covenant with you. And you became mine,” announces the Lord and King.
9“ ‘ “I bathed you with water. I washed the blood off you. And I put lotions on you. 10I put a beautiful dress on you. I gave you sandals made out of fine leather. I dressed you in fine linen. I covered you with expensive clothes. 11I decorated you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your arms. I gave you a necklace for your neck. 12I put rings on your nose and ears. And I gave you a beautiful crown for your head. 13So you were decorated with gold and silver. Your clothes were made out of fine linen. They were made out of expensive and beautiful cloth. Your food was made out of honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful. You became a queen. 14You were so beautiful that your fame spread among the nations. The glory I had given you made your beauty perfect,” announces the Lord and King.
15“ ‘ “But you trusted in your beauty. You used your fame to become a prostitute. You offered your body freely to anyone who passed by. In fact, you gave yourself to anyone who wanted you. 16You used some of your clothes to make high places colorful. That is where people worshiped other gods. You were a prostitute there. You went to your lover and he took your beauty. 17I had given you fine jewelry. It was made out of gold and silver. You used it to make for yourself statues of male gods. You worshiped those gods. You were not faithful to me. 18You put your beautiful clothes on them. You offered my oil and incense to them. 19You also offered them food. It was made out of olive oil, honey and the finest flour. I had given it to you to eat. You offered it as sweet-smelling incense to them. That is what you did,” announces the Lord and King.
20“ ‘ “Then you took your sons and daughters who belonged to me. And you sacrificed them as food to other gods. Wasn’t it enough for you to be a prostitute? 21You killed my children. You sacrificed them to other gods. 22You did not remember the days when you were young. At that time you were completely naked. You were kicking around in your blood. But now you have done evil things. I hate them. You have worshiped other gods. You have not been faithful to me.
23“ ‘ “How terrible it will be for you!” announces the Lord and King. “How terrible for you! You continued to sin against me. 24Your people built up mounds for themselves in every market. They put little places of worship on them. 25They set them up at every street corner. Jerusalem, you misused your beauty. You offered your body to anyone who passed by. You did it again and again. 26You committed shameful acts with the people of Egypt. They were your neighbors who were ready to have sex with you. You offered yourself to them again and again. That made me very angry. 27So I reached out my powerful hand against you. I made your territory smaller. I handed you over to your Philistine enemies. The people in their towns were shocked by your impure conduct. 28You also committed shameful acts with the people of Assyria. Nothing ever seemed to satisfy you. You could never get enough. 29Then you offered yourself to the people of Babylon. But that did not satisfy you either. There are many traders in the land of Babylon.
30“ ‘ “I am filled with great anger against you,” announces the Lord and King. “Just look at all the things you are doing! You are acting like a prostitute who has no shame at all. 31Your people built up mounds at every street corner. You put little places of worship on them in every market. But you did not really act like a prostitute. That’s because you refused to let your lovers pay you anything.
32“ ‘ “You unfaithful wife! You would rather be with strangers than with your own husband! 33Every prostitute receives gifts. Instead, you give gifts to all your lovers. You offer them money to come to you from everywhere. You want them to sleep with you. You are not faithful to me. 34As a prostitute, you are the opposite of others. No one runs after you to sleep with you. You are exactly the opposite. You pay them. They do not pay you.” ’ ”
35You prostitute, listen to the Lord’s message. 36The Lord and King says, “You poured out your desire on your lovers. You took off your clothing and slept with them. You did it again and again. You worshiped other gods. I hate them. You even sacrificed your children to them. 37So I am going to gather together all the lovers you found pleasure with. They include those you loved and those you hated. I will gather them against you from everywhere. I will take your clothes off right in front of them. Then they will see you completely naked. 38I will hand down my sentence against you. You will be punished like women who commit adultery and sacrifice their children to other gods. I am so angry with you. So I will sentence you to death for everything you have done. 39Then I will hand you over to your lovers. They will tear down those mounds you built. They will destroy the little places of worship you put on them. They will take your clothes off. They will remove your fine jewelry. And they will leave you completely naked. 40They will bring a crowd against you. The crowd will put you to death by throwing stones at you. And they will chop you to pieces with their swords. 41They will burn down your houses and punish you. Many women will see it. I will not let you be a prostitute anymore. You will no longer pay your lovers. 42Then my great anger against you will die down. My jealous anger will turn away from you. I will be calm. I will not be angry anymore.
43“You did not remember the days when you were young. The things you did made me very angry. So anything that happens to you will be your own fault,” announces the Lord and King. “You added impure conduct to all the other evil things you did. I hate all those things.
44“All those who use proverbs will use this one about you. They will say, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ 45You are a true daughter of your mother. She hated her husband and children. And you are a true sister of your sisters. They hated their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite. Your father was an Amorite. 46Your older sister was Samaria. She lived north of you with her daughters. Your younger sister was Sodom. She lived south of you with her daughters. 47You lived exactly the way they did. You copied their evil practices. I hate those practices. Everything you did was so sinful that you soon became even worse than they were. 48Your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done. And that is just as sure as I am alive,” announces the Lord and King.
49“Here is the sin your sister Sodom committed. She and her daughters were proud. They ate too much. They were not concerned about others. They did not help those who were poor and in need. 50They were very proud. They did many things that were evil in my eyes. I hated those things. So I got rid of Sodom and her daughters, just as you have seen. 51Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You sinned even more than they did. I hate those sins. Compared to what you did, you made your sisters seem godly. 52So you will be dishonored. You have given your sisters an excuse for what they did. Your sins were far worse than theirs. In fact, your sisters appear to be more godly than you. So then, be ashamed. You will be dishonored. You have made them appear to be godly.
53“I will not only give you back what you had before. I will also do the same thing for Sodom and her daughters. And I will do the same for Samaria and her daughters. 54That will make you feel dishonored. You will be ashamed of everything you have done. You have made them feel better because you sinned more and were punished more than they were. 55Your sisters Sodom and Samaria and their daughters will return to what they were before. And you and your daughters will return to what you were before. 56In the past you would not even mention your sister Sodom. You were proud at that time. 57That was before your sin was uncovered. Now the daughters of Edom make fun of you. So do all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines. Everyone who lives around you hates you. 58You will be punished for your impure conduct. I will also punish you for the other evil things you have done. I hate all those things,” announces the Lord.
59The Lord and King says, “I will punish you in keeping with what you have done. I sealed with a promise the covenant I made with you. You hated that promise. And you broke my covenant. 60But I will remember my covenant with you. I made it with you when you were young. Now I will make a new covenant with you. It will last forever. 61Then you will remember how you have lived. You will be ashamed when I give you Samaria and Sodom. Samaria is your older sister. Sodom is your younger one. I will give them and their daughters to you as daughters. That can’t happen based on my old covenant with you. 62So I will make my new covenant with you. Then you will know that I am the Lord. 63I will pay for all the sins you have committed. Then you will remember what you have done. You will be ashamed of it. Because of your shame, you will never speak against me again,” announces the Lord and King.
