7:1 During
1:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem
1:2 Listen, O heavens,
pay attention, O earth!
For the Lord speaks:
“I raised children,
but
1:3 An ox recognizes its owner,
a donkey recognizes where its owner puts its food;
but Israel does not recognize me,
my people do not understand.”
1:4
the people weighed down by evil deeds.
They are offspring who do wrong,
children
They have abandoned the Lord,
and rejected the Holy One of Israel.
They are alienated from him.
1:5
Why do you continue to rebel?
Your head has a massive wound,
your whole body is weak.
1:6 From the soles of your feet to your head,
there is no spot that is unharmed.
There are only bruises, cuts,
and open wounds.
They have not been cleansed
nor have they been treated
1:7 Your land is devastated,
your cities burned with fire.
Right before your eyes your crops
are being destroyed by foreign invaders.
They leave behind devastation and destruction.
1:8 Daughter Zion
like a hut in a vineyard,
or a shelter in a cucumber field;
she is a besieged city.
1:9 If the Lord who commands armies
we would have quickly become like Sodom,
we would have become like Gomorrah.
1:10 Listen to the Lord’s word,
you leaders of Sodom!
Pay attention to our God’s rebuke,
people of Gomorrah!
1:11 “Of what importance to me are your many sacrifices?”
says the Lord.
“I am stuffed with
of rams and the fat from steers.
The blood of bulls, lambs, and goats
I do not want.
1:12 When you enter my presence,
do you actually think I want this –
animals trampling on my courtyards?
1:13 Do not bring any more meaningless
I consider your incense detestable!
You observe new moon festivals, Sabbaths, and convocations,
but I cannot tolerate sin-stained celebrations!
1:14 I hate your new moon festivals and assemblies;
they are a burden
that I am tired of carrying.
1:15 When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I look the other way;
when you offer your many prayers,
I do not listen,
because your hands are covered with blood.
1:16
Remove your sinful deeds
from my sight.
Stop sinning!
1:17 Learn to do what is right!
Promote justice!
Give the oppressed reason to celebrate!
Take up the cause of the orphan!
Defend the rights of the widow!
1:18
“Though your sins have stained you like the color red,
you can become
though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,
you can become
1:19 If you have a willing attitude and obey,
then you will again eat the good crops of the land.
1:20 But if you refuse and rebel,
you will be devoured
Know for certain that the Lord has spoken.
1:21 How tragic that the once-faithful city
has become a prostitute!
She was once a center of
fairness resided in her,
but now only murderers.
1:22 Your
your beer is diluted with water.
1:23 Your officials are rebels,
they associate with
All of them love bribery,
and look for
They do not take up the cause of the orphan,
or defend the rights of the widow.
1:24 Therefore, the sovereign Lord who commands armies,
the powerful ruler of Israel,
“Ah, I will seek vengeance
I will take revenge against my enemies.
1:25 I will attack you;
I will purify your metal with flux.
I will remove all your slag.
1:26 I will reestablish honest judges as in former times,
wise advisers as in earlier days.
Then you will be called, ‘The Just City,
Faithful Town.’”
1:27
and her returnees by righteousness.
1:28 All rebellious sinners will be shattered,
those who abandon the Lord will perish.
1:29 Indeed, they
you
you will be embarrassed because of the sacred orchards
where you choose to worship.
1:30 For you will be like a tree whose leaves wither,
like an orchard
1:31 The powerful will be like
their deeds like a spark;
both will burn together,
and no one will put out the fire.
1:1 Here is the message about Judah and Jerusalem
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
3:16 The Lord says,
“The women
They walk with their heads high
and flirt with their eyes.
They skip along
and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.
3:17 So
the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.”
3:18
3:24 A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices,
a rope will replace a belt,
baldness will replace braided locks of hair,
a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe,
and a prisoner’s brand will replace beauty.
3:25 Your
your strong men will die in battle.
3:26 Her gates will mourn and lament;
deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground.