Jerusalem as an Adulterous Wife
1The word of the Lord came to me: 2“Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices 3and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite. 4On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. 5No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.
6“ ‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”16:6 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts repeat and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!” 7I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew and developed and entered puberty. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, yet you were stark naked.
8“ ‘Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.
9“ ‘I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. 10I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put sandals of fine leather on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments. 11I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, 12and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. 13So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was honey, olive oil and the finest flour. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. 14And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign Lord.
15“ ‘But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his. 16You took some of your garments to make gaudy high places, where you carried on your prostitution. You went to him, and he possessed your beauty.16:16 The meaning of the Hebrew for this sentence is uncertain. 17You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. 18And you took your embroidered clothes to put on them, and you offered my oil and incense before them. 19Also the food I provided for you—the flour, olive oil and honey I gave you to eat—you offered as fragrant incense before them. That is what happened, declares the Sovereign Lord.
20“ ‘And you took your sons and daughters whom you bore to me and sacrificed them as food to the idols. Was your prostitution not enough? 21You slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols. 22In all your detestable practices and your prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, kicking about in your blood.
23“ ‘Woe! Woe to you, declares the Sovereign Lord. In addition to all your other wickedness, 24you built a mound for yourself and made a lofty shrine in every public square. 25At every street corner you built your lofty shrines and degraded your beauty, spreading your legs with increasing promiscuity to anyone who passed by. 26You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your neighbors with large genitals, and aroused my anger with your increasing promiscuity. 27So I stretched out my hand against you and reduced your territory; I gave you over to the greed of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were shocked by your lewd conduct. 28You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians too, because you were insatiable; and even after that, you still were not satisfied. 29Then you increased your promiscuity to include Babylonia,16:29 Or Chaldea a land of merchants, but even with this you were not satisfied.
30“ ‘I am filled with fury against you,16:30 Or How feverish is your heart, declares the Sovereign Lord, when you do all these things, acting like a brazen prostitute! 31When you built your mounds at every street corner and made your lofty shrines in every public square, you were unlike a prostitute, because you scorned payment.
32“ ‘You adulterous wife! You prefer strangers to your own husband! 33All prostitutes receive gifts, but you give gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from everywhere for your illicit favors. 34So in your prostitution you are the opposite of others; no one runs after you for your favors. You are the very opposite, for you give payment and none is given to you.
35“ ‘Therefore, you prostitute, hear the word of the Lord! 36This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Because you poured out your lust and exposed your naked body in your promiscuity with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because you gave them your children’s blood, 37therefore I am going to gather all your lovers, with whom you found pleasure, those you loved as well as those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around and will strip you in front of them, and they will see you stark naked. 38I will sentence you to the punishment of women who commit adultery and who shed blood; I will bring on you the blood vengeance of my wrath and jealous anger. 39Then I will deliver you into the hands of your lovers, and they will tear down your mounds and destroy your lofty shrines. They will strip you of your clothes and take your fine jewelry and leave you stark naked. 40They will bring a mob against you, who will stone you and hack you to pieces with their swords. 41They will burn down your houses and inflict punishment on you in the sight of many women. I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer pay your lovers. 42Then my wrath against you will subside and my jealous anger will turn away from you; I will be calm and no longer angry.
43“ ‘Because you did not remember the days of your youth but enraged me with all these things, I will surely bring down on your head what you have done, declares the Sovereign Lord. Did you not add lewdness to all your other detestable practices?
44“ ‘Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you: “Like mother, like daughter.” 45You are a true daughter of your mother, who despised her husband and her children; and you are a true sister of your sisters, who despised their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. 46Your older sister was Samaria, who lived to the north of you with her daughters; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you with her daughters, was Sodom. 47You not only followed their ways and copied their detestable practices, but in all your ways you soon became more depraved than they. 48As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, your sister Sodom and her daughters never did what you and your daughters have done.
49“ ‘Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy. 50They were haughty and did detestable things before me. Therefore I did away with them as you have seen. 51Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done more detestable things than they, and have made your sisters seem righteous by all these things you have done. 52Bear your disgrace, for you have furnished some justification for your sisters. Because your sins were more vile than theirs, they appear more righteous than you. So then, be ashamed and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.
53“ ‘However, I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and of Samaria and her daughters, and your fortunes along with them, 54so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in giving them comfort. 55And your sisters, Sodom with her daughters and Samaria with her daughters, will return to what they were before; and you and your daughters will return to what you were before. 56You would not even mention your sister Sodom in the day of your pride, 57before your wickedness was uncovered. Even so, you are now scorned by the daughters of Edom16:57 Many Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Vulgate Aram and all her neighbors and the daughters of the Philistines—all those around you who despise you. 58You will bear the consequences of your lewdness and your detestable practices, declares the Lord.
59“ ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant. 60Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you. 61Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on the basis of my covenant with you. 62So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the Lord. 63Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign Lord.’ ”
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你出生之日没人剪断你的脐带，没人用水洗你的身体，没人用盐擦净你，没人用布包裹你。 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，我便用我的衣襟遮盖你赤露的身体，向你起誓，与你定下婚约，你便属于我。这是主耶和华说的。 9我用水清洗你，洗净你身上的血污，给你涂上馨香的油， 10给你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你的美貌名扬列国，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，与所有过路的人纵情苟合。 16你用自己的衣服在拜偶像的丘坛结彩，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，与它们苟合。 18你给它们穿上锦绣衣服，把我给你的膏油和香料供奉它们。 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它们面前。这是主耶和华说的。 20你还把你给我生的儿女献给偶像作食物。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你还与放纵情欲的邻邦埃及人苟合，纵情淫乱，激起我的愤怒。 27看啊，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。他们都为你的淫荡行为感到羞耻。 28你欲海难填，又跟亚述人行淫，但你仍不满足， 29于是又跟那商贾之地的迦勒底人纵情淫乱，但你仍不满足。
30“‘主耶和华说，你的心败坏至极，所作所为简直就像不知羞耻的娼妓。 31你在街头巷尾筑祭坛，在广场建高高的神庙，甚至不屑于收嫖资，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妓女接受嫖资，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，没有人找你买春，没有人给你嫖资，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。我要聚集他们从四方攻击你，让你赤裸裸地暴露在他们面前，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“‘看啊，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你不仅追随和效法她们可憎的行径，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狂妄自大，安逸饱足，对穷困的人漠不关心。这就是你妹妹所多玛的罪过。 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，你比她们做了更多可憎之事，以致与你的可憎行径相比，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。’”
