3:1 Look, the sovereign Lord who commands armies
is about to remove from Jerusalem
every source of security, including
all the food and water,
3:2 the mighty men and warriors,
judges and prophets,
omen readers and leaders,
3:3 captains of groups of fifty,
the respected citizens,
advisers and those skilled in magical arts,
and those who know incantations.
3:4 The Lord says,
malicious young men
3:5 The people will treat each other harshly;
men will oppose each other;
neighbors will fight.
Youths will proudly defy the elderly
and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.
3:6 Indeed, a man will grab his brother
right in his father’s house
‘You own a coat –
you be our leader!
This heap of ruins will be under your control.’
3:7 At that time
‘I am no doctor,
I have no food or coat in my house;
don’t make me a leader of the people!’”
3:8 Jerusalem certainly stumbles,
Judah falls,
for their words and their actions offend the Lord;
they rebel against his royal authority.
3:9 The look on their faces
like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin.
Too bad for them!
For they bring disaster on themselves.
3:10 Tell the innocent
for they will be rewarded for what they have done.
3:11 Too bad for the wicked sinners!
For they will get exactly what they deserve.
3:12 Oppressors treat my
creditors rule over them.
My people’s leaders mislead them;
they give you confusing directions.
3:13 The Lord takes his position to judge;
he stands up to pass sentence on his people.
3:14 The Lord comes to pronounce judgment
on the leaders of his people and their officials.
He says,
You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.
3:15 Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”
The sovereign Lord who commands armies