People of Israel, listen to the Lord's message. The Lord will tell his argument against those who live in this country. "The people in this country don't really know God. They are not true and loyal to him.
So the country is like someone crying for the dead, and all of its people are weak. Even the animals of the field, the birds of the sky, and the fish in the sea are dying.
"My people are destroyed because they have no knowledge. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be a priest for me. You have forgotten the law of your God, so I will forget your children.
They will eat, but they will not be satisfied. They will commit sexual sins, but they will not have babies. This is because they left the Lord and became like prostitutes.
My people are asking pieces of wood for advice. They think those sticks will answer them, because they have chased after those false gods like prostitutes. They left their God and became like prostitutes.
They make sacrifices on the tops of the mountains and burn incense on the hills under oak trees, poplar trees, and elm trees. The shade under those trees looks nice. So your daughters lie under those trees like prostitutes, and your daughters-in-law commit sexual sins.
"I cannot blame your daughters for being prostitutes or your daughters-in-law for committing sexual sins, because the men go and have sex with prostitutes and offer sacrifices with the temple prostitutes. So these fools are destroying themselves.
"Israel, just because you act like a prostitute doesn't mean that Judah should feel guilty too. People, don't go to Gilgal or Beth-aven. Don't use the Lord's name to make promises. Don't say, 'As the Lord lives —!'
The Lord has given many things to Israel. He is like a shepherd who takes his sheep to a large field with plenty of grass. But Israel is stubborn like a young cow that runs away again and again.