“ How can you say,‘ I have not made myself unclean. I have not paid allegiance to the gods called Baal.’ Just look at the way you have behaved in the Valley of Hinnom! Think about the things you have done there! You are like a flighty, young female camel that rushes here and there, crisscrossing its path.

你怎能说：‘我没有玷污、没有随从众巴力’？你看你谷中的路，就知道你所行的如何。你是快行的独峰驼，狂奔乱走。

你怎能说：‘我没有玷污，没有随从巴力’？看看你在谷中所做的，思想你自己的所作所为；你是快行的独峰驼，狂奔乱闯。

你怎能说：‘我没有玷污，没有随从巴力’？看看你在谷中所做的，思想你自己的所作所为；你是快行的独峰驼，狂奔乱闯。

“你怎能说，‘我没有玷污自己，也没有随从巴力’？看看你在山谷中干的勾当，想想你的所作所为。你是一只发情的母骆驼，烦躁不安，跑来跑去。

“你怎么能说：‘我没有玷污自己，未曾跟从过巴力’呢？看看你在谷中的行径，想想你所作过的！简直像快捷的小雌驼，在路上乱闯；

你怎能說：我沒有玷污、沒有隨從眾巴力？你看你谷中的路，就知道你所行的如何。你是快行的獨峯駝，狂奔亂走。

你怎能說：『我沒有玷污，沒有隨從巴力』？看看你在谷中所做的，思想你自己的所作所為；你是快行的獨峯駝，狂奔亂闖。

你怎能說：『我沒有玷污，沒有隨從巴力』？看看你在谷中所做的，思想你自己的所作所為；你是快行的獨峯駝，狂奔亂闖。

「你怎能說，『我沒有玷污自己，也沒有隨從巴力』？看看你在山谷中幹的勾當，想想你的所作所為。你是一隻發情的母駱駝，煩躁不安，跑來跑去。

“你怎麼能說：‘我沒有玷污自己，未曾跟從過巴力’呢？看看你在谷中的行徑，想想你所作過的！簡直像快捷的小雌駝，在路上亂闖；

你怎能說：「我沒有被沾污，我沒有隨從眾巴力」呢？看你的路在平谷中，就知道你所作的是甚麼——嘿，一隻迅速輕快的獨峰駝！狂奔亂闖，跑道交錯！

爾安得曰、我未染污衊、未從巴力乎、觀爾在谷之途、則知爾之所為、爾若捷足孤峯之駝、馳行其路、

爾豈得曰、不染污衊、未從巴力乎。爾於谷中所行、爾自知之、如牝駱駝、相誘以風、馳逐遠去。

爾豈可曰、我不染污穢、未從巴力、惟觀爾於谷中所行、當自知所為、爾若足疾之牝駝、狂奔亂馳、

“ How can you say,‘ I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there,

“ You say,‘ I am“ clean.” I haven’t followed the gods that are named Baal.’ How can you say that? Remember how you acted in the valley. Consider what you have done. You are like a female camel running quickly here and there.

How can you say,‘ I am not unclean, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley; know what you have done— a restless young camel running here and there,

“ You say,‘ That’s not true! I haven’t worshiped the images of Baal!’ But how can you say that? Go and look in any valley in the land! Face the awful sins you have done. You are like a restless female camel desperately searching for a mate.

How can you protest,“ I am not defiled; I have not followed the Baals”? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young camel twisting and turning on her way,

“ How can you say,‘ I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel running about senselessly on her ways,

“ How can you say,‘ I am not polluted, I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley; Know what you have done: You are a swift dromedary breaking loose in her ways,

How canst thou say, I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

How can you protest,“ I am not defiled; I have not followed the Baals”? Look at your behavior in the valley; acknowledge what you have done. You are a swift young camel twisting and turning on her way,

How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done:[ thou art] a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

“ How can you say,‘ I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways,

They have also built places of worship in a place called Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom so that they can sacrifice their sons and daughters by fire. That is something I never commanded them to do! Indeed, it never even entered my mind to command such a thing!

There is a generation who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their filthiness.

Instead they have followed the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts. They have paid allegiance to the gods called Baal, as their fathers taught them to do.

The man said,“ The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it.”So the LORD God said to the woman,“ What is this you have done?” And the woman replied,“ The serpent tricked me, and I ate.”

“ My, how good you have become at chasing after your lovers! Why, you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two!Even your clothes are stained with the lifeblood of the poor who had not done anything wrong; you did not catch them breaking into your homes. Yet, in spite of all these things you have done,you say,‘ I have not done anything wrong, so the LORD cannot really be angry with me any more.’ But, watch out! I will bring down judgment on you because you say,‘ I have not committed any sin.’

But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus,“ And who is my neighbor?”

“ 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.

Because you say,“ I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,” but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,take my advice and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich! Buy from me white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness will not be exposed, and buy eye salve to put on your eyes so you can see!

When Samuel came to him, Saul said to him,“ May the LORD bless you! I have done what the LORD said.”Samuel replied,“ If that is the case, then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?”

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.”

for he is too proud to recognize and give up his sin.

you who practice ritual sex under the oaks and every green tree, who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs.Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love; they, they are the object of your devotion. You pour out liquid offerings to them, you make an offering. Because of these things I will seek vengeance.

The one who covers his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses them and forsakes them will find mercy.

How long will you vacillate, you who were once like an unfaithful daughter? For I, the LORD, promise to bring about something new on the earth, something as unique as a woman protecting a man!’”

When you did these things, I was silent, so you thought I was exactly like you. But now I will condemn you and state my case against 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.’”

This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth and says,“ I have not done wrong.”

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.

For the Jews there was radiant happiness and joyous honor.