2:9 “So, once more I will state my case 1 against you,” says the Lord.
“I will also state it against your children and grandchildren. 2
2:35 you say, ‘I have not done anything wrong,
so the Lord cannot really be angry with me any more.’
But, watch out! 3 I will bring down judgment on you
because you say, ‘I have not committed any sin.’
25:31 The sounds of battle 4 will resound to the ends of the earth.
For the Lord will bring charges against the nations. 5
He will pass judgment on all humankind
and will hand the wicked over to be killed in war.’ 6
The Lord so affirms it! 7
4:1 Hear the word of the Lord, you Israelites! 8
For the Lord has a covenant lawsuit 9 against the people of Israel. 10
For there is neither faithfulness nor loyalty in the land,
nor do they acknowledge God. 11
6:1 Listen to what the Lord says:
“Get up! Defend yourself 12 before the mountains! 13
Present your case before the hills!” 14
6:2 Hear the Lord’s accusation, you mountains,
you enduring foundations of the earth!
For the Lord has a case against his people;
he has a dispute with Israel! 15
1 tn Or “bring charges against you.”
2 tn The words “your children and” are supplied in the translation to bring out the idea of corporate solidarity implicit in the passage.
3 tn This is an attempt to render the Hebrew particle often translated “behold” (הִנֵּה, hinneh) in a meaningful way in this context. See further the translator’s note on the word “really” in 1:6.
4 tn For the use of this word see Amos 2:2; Hos 10:14; Ps 74:23. See also the usage in Isa 66:6 which is very similar to the metaphorical usage here.
5 tn Heb “the
6 tn Heb “give the wicked over to the sword.”
7 tn Heb “Oracle of the
8 tn Heb “sons of Israel” (so NASB); KJV “children of Israel”; NAB, NRSV “people of Israel.”
9 tn The noun רִיב (riv, “dispute, lawsuit”) is used in two contexts: (1) nonlegal contexts: (a) “dispute” between individuals (e.g., Gen 13:7; Isa 58:1; Jer 15:10) or (b) “brawl; quarrel” between people (e.g., Exod 17:7; Deut 25:1); and (2) legal contexts: (a) “lawsuit; legal process” (e.g., Exod 23:3-6; Deut 19:17; 21:5; Ezek 44:24; Ps 35:23), (b) “lawsuit; legal case” (e.g., Deut 1:12; 17:8; Prov 18:17; 25:9), and (c) God’s “lawsuit” on behalf of a person or against his own people (Hos 4:1; 12:3; Mic 6:2; HALOT 1225-26 s.v. רִיב). The term in Hosea refers to a covenant lawsuit in which Yahweh the suzerain lodges a legal case against his disobedient vassal, accusing Israel and Judah of breach of covenant which will elicit the covenant curses.
10 tn Heb “with the inhabitants of the land” (so KJV); NAB, NASB, NRSV “against the inhabitants of the land.”
11 tn Heb “there is no truthfulness nor loyalty nor knowledge of God in the land.” Here “knowledge of God” refers to recognition of his authority and obedience to his will.
12 tn Or “plead your case” (NASB, NIV, NRSV); NAB “present your plea”; NLT “state your case.”
13 sn As in some ancient Near Eastern treaties, the mountains are personified as legal witnesses that will settle the dispute between God and Israel.
14 tn Heb “let the hills hear your voice.”
15 tn This verse briefly interrupts the