11 Judah has been unfaithful! A disgusting thing has been done in Israel and Jerusalem. Judah has dishonored the holy place that the Lord loves and has married a woman who worships a foreign god.
12 May the Lord exclude anyone who does this, whoever he may be. May he exclude them from Jacob’s tents and from bringing offerings to the Lord of Armies.
13 Here is another thing you do: You cover the Lord’s altar with tears. You moan and groan because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them from you.
14 But you ask, “Why ⌊aren’t our offerings accepted⌋?” It is because the Lord is a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been unfaithful. Yet, she is your companion, the wife of your marriage vows.
15 Didn’t ⌊God⌋ make you one? Your flesh and spirit belong to him. And what does the same ⌊God⌋ look for but godly descendants? So be careful not to be unfaithful to the wife of your youth.
16 “I hate divorce,” says the Lord God of Israel. “I hate the person who covers himself with violence,” says the Lord of Armies. “Be careful not to be unfaithful.”
17 You have tried the patience of the Lord with your words.But you ask, “How have we tried his patience?”When you say, “Everyone who does evil is considered good by the Lord. He is pleased with them,” or “Where is the God of justice?”