New Living Translation

1 O people of Israel,<br>do not rejoice as other nations do.<br>For you have been unfaithful to your God (Elohim),<br>hiring yourselves out like prostitutes,<br>worshiping other gods on every threshing floor.<br> 2 So now your harvests will be too small to feed you.<br>There will be no grapes for making new wine.<br> 3 You may no longer stay here in the LORD’s land.<br>Instead, you will return to Egypt,<br>and in Assyria you will eat food<br>that is ceremonially unclean.<br> 4 There you will make no offerings of wine to the LORD.<br>None of your sacrifices there will please him.<br>They will be unclean, like food touched by a person in mourning.<br>All who present such sacrifices will be defiled.<br>They may eat this food themselves,<br>but they may not offer it to the LORD.<br> 5 What then will you do on festival days?<br>How will you observe the LORD’s festivals?<br> 6 Even if you escape destruction from Assyria,<br>Egypt will conquer you, and Memphis will bury you.<br>Nettles will take over your treasures of silver;<br>thistles will invade your ruined homes.<br> 7 The time of Israel’s punishment has come;<br>the day of payment is here.<br>Soon Israel will know this all too well.<br>Because of your great sin and hostility,<br>you say, “The prophets are crazy<br>and the inspired men are fools!”<br> 8 The prophet is a watchman over Israel for my God (Elohim),<br>yet traps are laid for him wherever he goes.<br>He faces hostility even in the house of God (Elohim).<br> 9 The things my people do are as depraved<br>as what they did in Gibeah long ago.<br>God (Elohim) will not forget.<br>He will surely punish them for their sins.<br> 10 The LORD says, “O Israel, when I first found you,<br>it was like finding fresh grapes in the desert.<br>When I saw your ancestors,<br>it was like seeing the first ripe figs of the season.<br>But then they deserted me for Baal-peor,<br>giving themselves to that shameful idol.<br>Soon they became vile,<br>as vile as the god they worshiped.<br> 11 The glory of Israel will fly away like a bird,<br>for your children will not be born<br>or grow in the womb<br>or even be conceived.<br> 12 Even if you do have children who grow up,<br>I will take them from you.<br>It will be a terrible day when I turn away<br>and leave you alone.<br> 13 I have watched Israel become as beautiful as Tyre.<br>But now Israel will bring out her children for slaughter.”<br> 14 O LORD, what should I request for your people?<br>I will ask for wombs that don’t give birth<br>and breasts that give no milk.<br> 15 The LORD says, “All their wickedness began at Gilgal;<br>there I began to hate them.<br>I will drive them from my land<br>because of their evil actions.<br>I will love them no more<br>because all their leaders are rebels.<br> 16 The people of Israel are struck down.<br>Their roots are dried up,<br>and they will bear no more fruit.<br>And if they give birth,<br>I will slaughter their beloved children.”<br> 17 My God (Elohim) will reject the people of Israel<br>because they will not listen or obey.<br>They will be wanderers,<br>homeless among the nations.<br>