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.
Alegoria da infidelidade de Jerusalém
1Então veio a mim de novo a palavra do Senhor. 2“Homem mortal, expõe a Jerusalém os seus atos abomináveis. 3Fala-lhe que o Senhor Deus lhe diz o seguinte: Tu não és melhor que o povo de Canaã! O teu pai era amorreu e tua mãe hitita! 4Quando nasceste ninguém cuidou de ti. Quando te encontrei a primeira vez, o teu cordão umbilical não tinha sido cortado e não tinhas sido lavada nem esfregada com sal, nem envolta em panos. 5Ninguém tinha o menor interesse em ti, ninguém tinha pena de ti. Nesse dia em que nasceste, lançaram-te para o campo, onde te deixaram, indesejada.
6Mas eu passei por ali e vi-te, ainda coberta com o teu próprio sangue, e disse: Vive! 7Fiz-te crescer como uma planta no campo! Cresceste, desenvolveste-te, esbelta e elegante, pérola rara entre pérolas. Quando te tornaste rapariga formaram-se os seios, o teu cabelo era lindo, mas não tinhas roupa; andavas descoberta!
8Mais tarde, quando passei junto de ti e te vi novamente, tinhas já idade de casar; então estendi a minha capa sobre ti, declarando formalmente que casava contigo. Assinei uma aliança contigo e tornaste-te minha, diz o Senhor Deus. 9Então lavei-te com água, limpei o teu sangue e esfreguei a tua pele com óleo. 10Depois do casamento, dei-te belas roupas de linho e de seda bordada, sapatos de pele de couro fino16.10 Acerca deste tipo de pele, o termo hebraico tem significado incerto. Pode significar couro à base de pele de um animal mamífero marinho, provavelmente o dugongo, ou significar um tipo fino e duradouro de couro à base de animais que foram domesticados.. 11Ofereci-te belos adornos, pulseiras, colares, 12anéis, brincos, além de uma rica tiara para a testa. 13Tornaste-te assim uma beleza, coberta de ouro e de prata, de roupa ricamente bordada, de linho e de seda. Passaste a comer delicada comida e a tua beleza aumentou ainda. Parecias uma rainha, e eras, na verdade! 14Era grande a tua reputação entre os povos, por causa da tua beleza, a qual era perfeita, devido a tudo o que te dei, diz o Senhor Deus.
15Mas tu pensaste em livrar-te de mim; confiaste na tua formosura e começaste a corromper-te, prostituindo-te com todos os amantes que vinham ao teu encontro para te possuírem. 16Usaste as belas coisas que te concedi para fazeres santuários para ídolos e para decorar a tua cama de prostituição. Incrível! Nunca jamais se viu uma coisa assim! 17Pegaste nas joias e nos adornos de ouro e de prata que te dera e fizeste estátuas de figuras humanas, adorando-as, o que representava um grave adultério contra mim. 18Empregaste a esplêndida roupa bordada que te dei para cobrires os deuses! Até o meu óleo e incenso te serviu para lhes prestares culto! 19Puseste diante deles a fina farinha, o azeite e o mel que te tinha dado! Usaste isso como sacrifício de amor por eles, diz o Senhor Deus.
20Pegaste nos filhos e filhas que me tinhas gerado e sacrificaste-os aos teus deuses, consumindo-os no fogo. Não teria bastado que te tivesses prostituído? 21Tinhas ainda de degolar os meus filhos sobre fogos de estranhos altares? 22Em todos estes anos de adultério e de pecado, não pensaste uma só vez naqueles dias, que já vão longe, em que andavas nua e manchada do teu próprio sangue.
23Então, para cúmulo de todas as tuas maldades, e ai, ai de ti, diz o Senhor Deus, 24edificaste um espaçoso bordel e altares para ídolos em cada rua. 25Aí oferecias a tua beleza a qualquer que passasse, numa corrente infindável de prostituições. 26Juntaste-te ainda ao Egito, teu vizinho devasso, e nas tuas prostituições aliaste-te a ele, provocando assim a minha ira. 27Por isso, te esmaguei com a mão fechada; reduzi as tuas fronteiras e entreguei-te nas mãos dos que te odeiam, os filisteus, e até mesmo esses têm vergonha de ti. 28Adulteraste também com assírios; a ideia que se tem é que és insaciável, sempre na busca de novos deuses, e depois disso ainda não estavas satisfeita. 29Então foste prestar culto aos deuses dessa terra de grande comércio e consumo, que é a Babilónia, mas também não ficaste saciada.
30Que coração sujo tu tens, diz o Senhor Deus, para chegares a fazer semelhantes coisas! És uma meretriz impudica! 31Tens altares de culto a ídolos e os seus bordéis em cada rua, e foste até pior que uma prostituta! Foste tão sôfrega de pecado que até nem pedias dinheiro pelo amor que cedias!
32Sim, és como uma mulher descaradamente adúltera que vive com outros homens, desprezando o marido. 33As meretrizes fazem-se pagar, mas contigo é ao contrário; és tu quem lhes dá presentes para que venham de novo adulterar contigo. 34Por isso, és diferente de todas as outras; ninguém te forçou a teres a vida que levas; não te pagaram, tu é que lhes pagaste!
35Ó prostituta, ouve a palavra do Senhor! 36Diz o Senhor Deus: Perante todos os teus pecados abomináveis, os teus adultérios desbocados com os teus amantes, os cultos que prestas aos ídolos e os sacrifícios dos teus filhos a deuses, 37eis o que te vou fazer. Juntarei todos os teus aliados, esses amantes que pecaram contigo, tanto os que amaste, como os que odiaste, e despir-te-ei à frente deles, para que possam ver-te tal qual és. 38Julgar-te-ei como se julga uma assassina e uma mulher que quebrou o seu compromisso conjugal, vivendo com outros; na minha grande indignação castigar-te-ei com a morte. 39Entregar-te-ei aos teus amantes, essas muitas outras nações, para te destruírem; e destruirão os teus altares e os teus bordéis, despojar-te-ão, tirar-te-ão as belas joias, deixar-te-ão despida e vexada. 40Incitarão uma multidão contra ti, para te apedrejar e trespassar-te com as suas espadas. 41Incendiarão os teus lares, castigando-te aos olhos de muitas outras mulheres, e farei com que acabem os teus adultérios com outros deuses e os pagamentos aos teus aliados pelo amor que te dão. 42Por fim, a minha cólera contra ti cessará; terão fim os meus ciúmes a teu respeito; ficarei em descanso e não mais me encolerizarei contra ti.
43No entanto, tal não acontecerá sem que antes, devido ao facto de te teres esquecido da tua juventude e provocado a minha cólera com todas estas coisas perversas que praticas, recebas a paga completa dos teus pecados, diz o Senhor Deus. Porque é que, além das coisas degradantes que fizeste, ainda te entregaste a tal depravação?
44‘Tal mãe, tal filha!’, é o que toda a gente diz de ti. 45A tua mãe teve nojo do marido e dos filhos e tu segues-lhe as pisadas. És precisamente como as tuas irmãs que igualmente desprezaram maridos e filhos. Está-se mesmo a ver que a tua mãe foi uma hitita e o teu pai um amorreu. 46A tua irmã mais velha é Samaria, que vive com suas filhas a norte; a tua irmã mais nova é Sodoma, com as filhas a sul. 47Tu não pecaste de uma forma vulgar, como elas fizeram! Não, isso para ti não era nada! Tu, em muito pouco tempo, ultrapassaste-as! 48Tão certo como eu viver, diz o Senhor Deus, que Sodoma e as suas filhas nunca foram tão iníquas como tu e as tuas filhas.
49Os pecados da tua irmã Sodoma foram o orgulho, a ociosidade, o amor à abundância de tudo, enquanto os pobres e os que sofriam jaziam à sua porta. 50Ela prestou insolentemente culto a muitos ídolos, à minha vista. Por isso, a esmaguei. 51Nem mesmo Samaria cometeu metade dos teus pecados. Adoraste muitos mais ídolos do que as tuas irmãs; elas quase que parecem retas quando comparadas contigo! 52Não te surpreendas, pois, com o castigo mais leve que elas recebem. Os teus pecados são tão tremendos que elas, ao teu lado, até parecem inocentes!
53Apesar de tudo, é verdade que hei de tornar a restabelecer a prosperidade de Sodoma, de Samaria e das aldeias que te rodeiam. Mas também a ti hei de dar prosperidade como a elas. 54Sentirás vergonha e humilhação, por causa de tudo o que fizeste, e a tua desgraça dará ânimo às tuas irmãs. 55Sim, repito, as tuas irmãs, Sodoma e Samaria, e todo o povo delas, será restaurado; e tu e as tuas filhas recuperarão a sua prosperidade naquele dia. 56Nos dias em que andavas cheia de orgulho, tinhas por Sodoma um desprezo indizível. 57Mas agora que a tua maldade, muito maior que a dela, é conhecida de toda a gente no mundo, és tu quem é escarnecida por Edom e seus vizinhos, e por todos os filisteus. 58Isto faz já parte do castigo devido aos teus pecados e às coisas abomináveis que praticaste, diz o Senhor.
59Porque o Senhor Deus diz: Dar-te-ei a paga de teres quebrado a aliança; com toda a ligeireza rompeste os votos solenes que me fizeste. 60Ainda que me mantenha fiel à aliança que fiz contigo na tua juventude, hei de estabelecer contigo uma aliança que durará para sempre. 61E lembrar-te-ás com vergonha de todo o mal que fizeste; serás vencida pela minha graça, quando fizer de tuas irmãs, Samaria e Sodoma, tuas filhas, embora tal não faça parte da minha aliança contigo. 62Restabelecerei, pois, a minha aliança contigo e saberás que eu sou o Senhor. 63Apesar de tudo quanto tens feito, serei de novo bom para contigo; ficarás em silêncio e humildade quando eu perdoar o que tens feito, diz o Senhor Deus.”
