They consult their wooden idols, and their diviner’s staff answers with an oracle. The wind of prostitution blows them astray; they commit spiritual adultery against their God.

我的民求问木偶，以为木杖能指示他们；因为他们的淫心使他们失迷，他们就行淫离弃神，不守约束，

我的百姓求问木偶，以为木杖能指示他们；淫乱的心使他们失迷，以致行淫离弃他们的上帝，

我的百姓求问木偶，以为木杖能指示他们；淫乱的心使他们失迷，以致行淫离弃他们的神，

“我的子民祈求木头，随从木杖的指引。淫乱的心使他们走入歧途，他们不忠不贞，背弃他们的上帝。

我的子民求问木头，由木杖引导他们，因为淫荡的灵使他们走迷了路，他们就行淫不顺从神。

我的民求問木偶，以為木杖能指示他們；因為他們的淫心使他們失迷，他們就行淫離棄神，不守約束，

我的百姓求問木偶，以為木杖能指示他們；淫亂的心使他們失迷，以致行淫離棄他們的上帝，

我的百姓求問木偶，以為木杖能指示他們；淫亂的心使他們失迷，以致行淫離棄他們的神，

「我的子民祈求木頭，隨從木杖的指引。淫亂的心使他們走入歧途，他們不忠不貞，背棄他們的上帝。

我的子民求問木頭，由木杖引導他們，因為淫蕩的靈使他們走迷了路，他們就行淫不順從神。

他們求問着木頭，其指揮棍就指示他們；因為行淫的心使他們失迷，他們就行淫、離棄了他們的上帝、不肯在他手下。

我民諮詢於木、藉杖示之、彼為淫心所迷、狥欲離其上帝之制、

我民縱欲、棄我上帝、厥心昏昧、問偶像、卜以籤、望其應對、

我民諮諏木偶、以為其杖能指示未來事、被淫心迷惑、被淫心迷惑或作因其心被邪淫迷惑皆棄其天主、從偶像、偶像或作邪淫

My people consult a wooden idol, and a diviner’s rod speaks to them. A spirit of prostitution leads them astray; they are unfaithful to their God.

My people ask a wooden statue of a god for advice. They get answers from a stick of wood. They are as unfaithful as prostitutes. They are not faithful to their God.

My people inquire of a piece of wood, and their walking staff gives them oracles. For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray, and they have left their God to play the whore.

They ask a piece of wood for advice! They think a stick can tell them the future! Longing after idols has made them foolish. They have played the prostitute, serving other gods and deserting their God.

My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray; they act promiscuously in disobedience to their God.

My people consult their wooden idol, and their diviner’s wand informs them; For a spirit of infidelity has led them astray, And they have been unfaithful, departing from their God.

My people ask counsel from their wooden idols, And their staff informs them. For the spirit of harlotry has caused them to stray, And they have played the harlot against their God.

My people ask counsel at their stock, and their staff declareth unto them; for the spirit of whoredom hath caused them to err, and they have played the harlot, departing from under their God.

My people consult their wooden idols, and their divining rods inform them. For a spirit of promiscuity leads them astray; they act promiscuously in disobedience to their God.

My people ask counsel at their stocks, and their staff declareth unto them: for the spirit of whoredoms hath caused[ them] to err, and they have gone a whoring from under their God.

My people consult with their wooden idol, and answer to a stick of wood. Indeed the spirit of prostitution has led them astray, and they have been unfaithful to their God.

They say to a wooden idol,‘ You are my father.’ They say to a stone image,‘ You gave birth to me.’ Yes, they have turned away from me instead of turning to me. Yet when they are in trouble, they say,‘ Come and save us!’

Their wicked deeds do not allow them to return to their God; because a spirit of idolatry controls their heart, and they do not acknowledge the LORD.

They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern.No one thinks to himself, nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves:‘ I burned half of it in the fire– yes, I baked bread over the coals; I roasted meat and ate it. With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol? Should I bow down to dry wood?’He feeds on ashes; his deceived mind misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say,‘ Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’

The one who says to wood,‘ Wake up!’ is as good as dead– he who says to speechless stone,‘ Awake!’ Can it give reliable guidance? It is overlaid with gold and silver; it has no life’s breath inside it.

Then the LORD said to Moses,“ You are about to die, and then these people will begin to prostitute themselves with the foreign gods of the land into which they are going. They will reject me and break my covenant that I have made with them.

You must have this tassel so that you may look at it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and obey them and so that you do not follow after your own heart and your own eyes that lead you to unfaithfulness.

If a lying windbag should come and say,‘ I’ll promise you blessings of wine and beer,’ he would be just the right preacher for these people!

O Israel, do not rejoice jubilantly like the nations, for you are unfaithful to your God. You love to receive a prostitute’s wages on all the floors where you thresh your grain.

The word of the LORD came to me:“ Son of man, there were two women who were daughters of the same mother.They engaged in prostitution in Egypt; in their youth they engaged in prostitution. Their breasts were squeezed there; lovers fondled their virgin nipples there.Oholah was the name of the older and Oholibah the name of her younger sister. They became mine, and gave birth to sons and daughters. Oholah is Samaria and Oholibah is Jerusalem.“ Oholah engaged in prostitution while she was mine. She lusted after her lovers, the Assyrians– warriorsclothed in blue, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses.She bestowed her sexual favors on them; all of them were the choicest young men of Assyria. She defiled herself with all whom she desired– with all their idols.She did not abandon the prostitution she had practiced in Egypt; for in her youth men had sex with her, fondled her virgin breasts, and ravished her.Therefore I handed her over to her lovers, the Assyrians for whom she lusted.They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and killed her with the sword. She became notorious among women, and they executed judgments against her.“ Her sister Oholibah watched this, but she became more corrupt in her lust than her sister had been, and her acts of prostitution were more numerous than those of her sister.She lusted after the Assyrians– governors and officials, warriors in full armor, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men.I saw that she was defiled; both of them followed the same path.But she increased her prostitution. She saw men carved on the wall, images of the Chaldeans carved in bright red,wearing belts on their waists and flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like officers, the image of Babylonians whose native land is Chaldea.When she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.The Babylonians crawled into bed with her. They defiled her with their lust; after she was defiled by them, she became disgusted with them.When she lustfully exposed her nakedness, I was disgusted with her, just as I had been disgusted with her sister.Yet she increased her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth when she engaged in prostitution in the land of Egypt.She lusted after their genitals– as large as those of donkeys, and their seminal emission was as strong as that of stallions.This is how you assessed the obscene conduct of your youth, when the Egyptians fondled your nipples and squeezed your young breasts.“ Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the sovereign LORD says: Look here, I am about to stir up against you the lovers with whom you were disgusted; I will bring them against you from every side:the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men, all of them governors and officials, officers and nobles, all of them riding on horses.They will attack you with weapons, chariots, wagons, and with a huge army; they will array themselves against you on every side with large shields, small shields, and helmets. I will assign them the task of judgment; they will punish you according to their laws.I will direct my jealous anger against you, and they will deal with you in rage. They will cut off your nose and your ears, and your survivors will die by the sword. They will seize your sons and daughters, and your survivors will be consumed by fire.They will strip your clothes off you and take away your beautiful jewelry.So I will put an end to your obscene conduct and your prostitution which you have practiced in the land of Egypt. You will not seek their help or remember Egypt anymore.“ For this is what the sovereign LORD says: Look here, I am about to deliver you over to those whom you hate, to those with whom you were disgusted.They will treat you with hatred, take away all you have labored for, and leave you naked and bare. Your nakedness will be exposed, just as when you engaged in prostitution and obscene conduct.I will do these things to you because you engaged in prostitution with the nations, polluting yourself with their idols.You have followed the ways of your sister, so I will place her cup of judgment in your hand.“ This is what the sovereign LORD says:“ You will drink your sister’s deep and wide cup; you will be scorned and derided, for it holds a great deal.You will be overcome by drunkenness and sorrow. The cup of your sister Samaria is a cup of horror and desolation.You will drain it dry, gnaw its pieces, and tear out your breasts, for I have spoken, declares the sovereign LORD.“ Therefore this is what the sovereign LORD says: Because you have forgotten me and completely disregarded me, you must bear now the punishment for your obscene conduct and prostitution.”The LORD said to me:“ Son of man, are you willing to pronounce judgment on Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominable deeds!For they have committed adultery and blood is on their hands. They have committed adultery with their idols, and their sons, whom they bore to me, they have passed through the fire as food to their idols.Moreover, they have done this to me: In the very same day they desecrated my sanctuary and profaned my Sabbaths.On the same day they slaughtered their sons for their idols, they came to my sanctuary to desecrate it. This is what they have done in the middle of my house.“ They even sent for men from far away; when the messenger arrived, those men set out. For them you bathed, painted your eyes, and decorated yourself with jewelry.You sat on a magnificent couch, with a table arranged in front of it where you placed my incense and my olive oil.The sound of a carefree crowd accompanied her, including all kinds of men; even Sabeans were brought from the desert. The sisters put bracelets on their wrists and beautiful crowns on their heads.Then I said about the one worn out by adultery,‘ Now they will commit immoral acts with her.’They had sex with her as one does with a prostitute. In this way they had sex with Oholah and Oholibah, promiscuous women.But upright men will punish them appropriately for their adultery and bloodshed, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.“ For this is what the sovereign LORD says: Bring up an army against them and subject them to terror and plunder.That army will pelt them with stones and slash them with their swords; they will kill their sons and daughters and burn their houses.I will put an end to the obscene conduct in the land; all the women will learn a lesson from this and not engage in obscene conduct.They will repay you for your obscene conduct, and you will be punished for idol worship. Then you will know that I am the sovereign LORD.”

Yes, look! Those far from you die; you destroy everyone who is unfaithful to you.

“ If a man divorces his wife and she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife, he may not take her back again. Doing that would utterly defile the land. But you, Israel, have given yourself as a prostitute to many gods. So what makes you think you can return to me?” says the LORD.“ Look up at the hilltops and consider this. You have had sex with other gods on every one of them. You waited for those gods like a thief lying in wait in the desert. You defiled the land by your wicked prostitution to other gods.That is why the rains have been withheld, and the spring rains have not come. Yet in spite of this you are obstinate as a prostitute. You refuse to be ashamed of what you have done.

The people of those nations are both stupid and foolish. Instruction from a wooden idol is worthless!

So they must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat demons, acting like prostitutes by going after them. This is to be a perpetual statute for them throughout their generations.

I myself will set my face against that man and his clan. I will cut off from the midst of their people both him and all who follow after him in spiritual prostitution, to commit prostitution by worshiping Molech.

but have instead followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel. You encouraged the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem to be unfaithful to the LORD, just as the family of Ahab does in Israel. You also killed your brothers, members of your father’s family, who were better than you.

The word of the LORD came to me:“ Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her abominable practicesand say,‘ This is what the sovereign LORD says to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.As for your birth, on the day you were born your umbilical cord was not cut, nor were you washed in water; you were certainly not rubbed down with salt, nor wrapped with blankets.No eye took pity on you to do even one of these things for you to spare you; you were thrown out into the open field because you were detested on the day you were born.“‘ I passed by you and saw you kicking around helplessly in your blood. I said to you as you lay there in your blood,“ Live!” I said to you as you lay there in your blood,“ Live!”I made you plentiful like sprouts in a field; you grew tall and came of age so that you could wear jewelry. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, but you were still naked and bare.“‘ Then I passed by you and watched you, noticing that you had reached the age for love. I spread my cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I swore a solemn oath to you and entered into a marriage covenant with you, declares the sovereign LORD, and you became mine.“‘ Then I bathed you in water, washed the blood off you, and anointed you with fragrant oil.I dressed you in embroidered clothing and put fine leather sandals on your feet. I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk.I adorned you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck.I put a ring in your nose, earrings on your ears, and a beautiful crown on your head.You were adorned with gold and silver, while your clothing was of fine linen, silk, and embroidery. You ate the finest flour, honey, and olive oil. You became extremely beautiful and attained the position of royalty.Your fame spread among the nations because of your beauty; your beauty was perfect because of the splendor which I bestowed on you, declares the sovereign LORD.“‘ But you trusted in your beauty and capitalized on your fame by becoming a prostitute. You offered your sexual favors to every man who passed by so that your beauty became his.You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his.You also took your beautiful jewelry, made of my gold and my silver I had given to you, and made for yourself male images and engaged in prostitution with them.You took your embroidered clothing and used it to cover them; you offered my olive oil and my incense to them.As for my food that I gave you– the fine flour, olive oil, and honey I fed you– you placed it before them as a soothing aroma. That is exactly what happened, declares the sovereign LORD.“‘ You took your sons and your daughters whom you bore to me and you sacrificed them as food for the idols to eat. As if your prostitution not enough,you slaughtered my children and sacrificed them to the idols.And with all your abominable practices and prostitution you did not remember the days of your youth when you were naked and bare, kicking around in your blood.“‘ After all of your evil–“ Woe! Woe to you!” declares the sovereign LORD–you built yourself a chamber and put up a pavilion in every public square.At the head of every street you erected your pavilion and you disgraced your beauty when you spread your legs to every passerby and multiplied your promiscuity.You engaged in prostitution with the Egyptians, your sexually aroused neighbors, multiplying your promiscuity and provoking me to anger.So see here, I have stretched out my hand against you and cut off your rations. I have delivered you into the power of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed by your obscene conduct.You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians because your sexual desires were insatiable; you prostituted yourself with them and yet you were still not satisfied.Then you multiplied your promiscuity to the land of merchants, Babylonia, but you were not satisfied there either.“‘ How sick is your heart, declares the sovereign LORD, when you perform all of these acts, the deeds of a bold prostitute.When you built your chamber at the head of every street and put up your pavilion in every public square, you were not like a prostitute, because you scoffed at payment.“‘ Adulterous wife, who prefers strangers instead of her own husband!All prostitutes receive payment, but instead you give gifts to every one of your lovers. You bribe them to come to you from all around for your sexual favors!You were different from other prostitutes because no one solicited you. When you gave payment and no payment was given to you, you became the opposite!“‘ Therefore O prostitute, hear the word of the LORD:This is what the sovereign LORD says: Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness was uncovered in your prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children you have given to them,therefore, take note: I am about to gather all your lovers whom you enjoyed, both all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around, and I will expose your nakedness to them, and they will see all your nakedness.I will punish you as an adulteress and murderer deserves. I will avenge your bloody deeds with furious rage.I will give you into their hands and they will destroy your chambers and tear down your pavilions. They will strip you of your clothing and take your beautiful jewelry and leave you naked and bare.They will summon a mob who will stone you and hack you in pieces with their swords.They will burn down your houses and execute judgments on you in front of many women. Thus I will put a stop to your prostitution, and you will no longer give gifts to your clients.I will exhaust my rage on you, and then my fury will turn from you. I will calm down and no longer be angry.“‘ Because you did not remember the days of your youth and have enraged me with all these deeds, I hereby repay you for what you have done, declares the sovereign LORD. Have you not engaged in prostitution on top of all your other abominable practices?“‘ Observe– everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb about you:“ Like mother, like daughter.”You are the daughter of your mother, who detested her husband and her sons, and you are the sister of your sisters who detested their husbands and their sons. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite.Your older sister was Samaria, who lived north of you with her daughters, and your younger sister, who lived south of you, was Sodom with her daughters.Have you not copied their behavior and practiced their abominable deeds? In a short time you became even more depraved in all your conduct than they were!As surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, your sister Sodom and her daughters never behaved as wickedly as you and your daughters have behaved.“‘ See here– this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters had majesty, abundance of food, and enjoyed carefree ease, but they did not help the poor and needy.They were haughty and practiced abominable deeds before me. Therefore when I saw it I removed them.Samaria has not committed half the sins you have; you have done more abominable deeds than they did. You have made your sisters appear righteous with all the abominable things you have done.So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior. Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.“‘ I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters( along with your fortunes among them),so that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all you have done in consoling them.As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters will be restored to their former status, Samaria and her daughters will be restored to their former status, and you and your daughters will be restored to your former status.In your days of majesty, was not Sodom your sister a byword in your mouth,before your evil was exposed? Now you have become an object of scorn to the daughters of Aram and all those around her and to the daughters of the Philistines– those all around you who despise you.You must bear your punishment for your obscene conduct and your abominable practices, declares the LORD.“‘ For this is what the sovereign LORD says: I will deal with you according to what you have done when you despised your oath by breaking your covenant.Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting covenant with you.Then you will remember your conduct, and be ashamed when you receive your older and younger sisters. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on account of my covenant with you.I will establish my covenant with you, and then you will know that I am the LORD.Then you will remember, be ashamed, and remain silent when I make atonement for all you have done, declares the sovereign LORD.’”

The arrival of the lawless one will be by Satan’s working with all kinds of miracles and signs and false wonders,and with every kind of evil deception directed against those who are perishing, because they found no place in their hearts for the truth so as to be saved.Consequently God sends on them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false.

For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road at the head of the two routes. He looks for omens: He shakes arrows, he consults idols, he examines animal livers.