Israel Is Judged

Hear, O people, all of you. Listen, O earth and all who are in it. The Lord God will speak against you from His holy house.

All this is because Jacob would not obey and because of the sins of the people of Israel. What is Jacob’s sin? Is it not Samaria? What is the high place of Judah? Is it not Jerusalem?

For her hurt cannot be cured. It has come to Judah. It has come to the gate of my people, even to Jerusalem.

Go on your way, people of Shaphir, without clothing and in shame. The people of Zaanan do not come out. Cries of sorrow come from Beth-ezel. Its help is taken from you.

Tie the war-wagons to the horses, you people of Lachish. You were the beginning of sin to the people of Zion, for the sins of Israel were found in you.

So give gifts to Moresheth-gath. The people of Achzib will fool the kings of Israel.

I will bring one who will beat you in battle, O people of Mareshah. The shining-greatness of Israel will come to Adullam.

On that day they will make fun of you and sing a bitter song of sorrow, saying, ‘We are destroyed and everything is gone! My people’s land is divided. He takes it from me! He gives our fields to those who turned against us.’”

So you will have no one among the Lord’s people to divide the land in a right way for you.

Men Who Lie

“The people say to me, ‘Do not speak about these things, because we will not be put to shame.’

Should it be said, O people of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of the Lord angry? Would He do such things? Do not My Words do good to the one whose way is right and good?

My people have begun to hate those who are at peace with them. You pull the coat off from a brother Israelite, from those who pass by in peace like men returning from war.

You drive the women of My people away from their beautiful houses. You take My greatness away from their children forever.

If a man comes speaking lies and says, ‘I will speak to you about wine and strong drink,’ he would be the one for these people!

Israel Is Gathered Together

“I will gather all of you together, Jacob. I will gather all those left of Israel. I will put them together like sheep within a fence, like a flock in its field. The land will be filled with the noise of many people.

Sinful Leaders and Rulers

And I said, “Hear now, leaders of Jacob and rulers of the people of Israel! Should you not know what is fair?

Yet you hate good and love sin. You tear off the skin from my people and the flesh from their bones.

You eat my people’s flesh, pull their skin off, break their bones, and cut them up like meat for the pot.”

This is what the Lord says about the men who speak in God’s name and lead my people the wrong way. When they have something to eat, they speak of peace. But they make holy war against him who does not feed them.

Now listen to this, you leaders of Jacob and rulers of the people of Israel. You hate what is fair, and turn everything around that is right.

The Lord Rules in Jerusalem

In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s house will be the highest one of all. It will be raised above the hills, and the people will flow to it.

He will judge between many people. He will decide for strong nations that are far away. Then they will beat their swords into plows, and their spears into cutting hooks. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, and they will never learn war any more.

As for you, O watch-tower of the flock, the strong-place of the people of Zion, the power you had to rule will come to you again. The nation will come to Jerusalem.

Suffer in pain, O people of Zion, like a woman giving birth. For now you will go out of the city and live in the field, and go to Babylon. There you will be saved and He will make you free from the power of those who hate you.

Get up and crush the grain, O people of Zion. For I will give you horns of iron and feet of brass, and you will break many nations to pieces. You will give to the Lord what they received by hurting others. You will give their riches to the Lord of all the earth.