-
1 Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
-
2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely.
-
3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
-
4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.
-
5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
-
6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
-
7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots' houses.
-
8 They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife.
-
9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
-
10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD's.
-
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD.
-
12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
-
13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
-
14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
-
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
-
16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
-
17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
-
18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you.
-
19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
-
20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
-
21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
-
22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
-
23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
-
24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
-
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
-
26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
-
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
-
28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
-
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
-
30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
-
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?
|
- 1 “Roam to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, And look now and take note. And seek in her open squares, If you can find a man, If there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, Then I will pardon her.
- 2 “And although they say, 'As the LORD lives,' Surely they swear falsely.”
- 3 O LORD, do not Your eyes look for truth? You have smitten them, But they did not weaken; You have consumed them, But they refused to take correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to repent.
- 4 Then I said, “They are only the poor, They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the LORD Or the ordinance of their God.
- 5 “I will go to the great And will speak to them, For they know the way of the LORD And the ordinance of their God.” But they too, with one accord, have broken the yoke And burst the bonds.
- 6 Therefore a lion from the forest will slay them, A wolf of the deserts will destroy them, A leopard is watching their cities. Everyone who goes out of them will be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many, Their apostasies are numerous.
- 7 “Why should I pardon you? Your sons have forsaken Me And sworn by those who are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, They committed adultery And trooped to the harlot's house.
- 8 “They were well-fed lusty horses, Each one neighing after his neighbor's wife.
- 9 “Shall I not punish these 'people,'” declares the LORD, “And on a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?
- 10 “Go up through her vine rows and destroy, But do not execute a complete destruction; Strip away her branches, For they are not the LORD'S.
- 11 “For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me,” declares the LORD.
- 12 They have lied about the LORD And said, “Not He; Misfortune will not come on us, And we will not see sword or famine.
- 13 “The prophets are as wind, And the word is not in them. Thus it will be done to them!”
- 14 Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, “Because you have spoken this word, Behold, I am making My words in your mouth fire And this people wood, and it will consume them.
- 15 “Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD. “It is an enduring nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.
- 16 “Their quiver is like an open grave, All of them are mighty men.
- 17 “They will devour your harvest and your food; They will devour your sons and your daughters; They will devour your flocks and your herds; They will devour your vines and your fig trees; They will demolish with the sword your fortified cities in which you trust.
- 18 “Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not make you a complete destruction.
- 19 “It shall come about when they say, 'Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?' then you shall say to them, 'As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.'
- 20 “Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
- 21 'Now hear this, O foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes but do not see; Who have ears but do not hear.
- 22 'Do you not fear Me?' declares the LORD. 'Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it.
- 23 'But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; They have turned aside and departed.
- 24 'They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest.”
- 25 'Your iniquities have turned these away, And your sins have withheld good from you.
- 26 'For wicked men are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch men.
- 27 'Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich.
- 28 'They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, that they may prosper; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.
- 29 'Shall I not punish these people?' declares the LORD, 'On a nation such as this Shall I not avenge Myself?'
- 30 “An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land:
- 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule on their own authority; And My people love it so! But what will you do at the end of it?
|