1 Hear this word, youcows of Bashan, whoareon the mountain of Samaria,
# Who oppress thepoor,
Who crush the needy,
# Who say to your husbands, “Bringwine,let usdrink!”
2 The LordGodhas sworn by His holiness:
“Behold, the days shall come upon you
# When He will take you awaywith fishhooks,
And your posterity with fishhooks.
3 You will go outthroughbrokenwalls,
Each one straight ahead of her,
And you will be cast into Harmon,”
Says theLord.
4 “Cometo Bethel and transgress,
# AtGilgal multiply transgression;
# Bring your sacrifices every morning,
# Your tithes every three days.
5 Offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven,
# Proclaimandannouncethe freewill offerings;
For this you love,
Youchildren of Israel!”
Says the LordGod.
Israel Did Not Accept Correction
6 “Also I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
And lack of bread in all your places;
# Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says theLord.
7 “I also withheld rain from you,
Whentherewerestill three months to the harvest.
I made it rain on one city,
I withheld rain from another city.
One part was rained upon,
And where it did not rain the part withered.
8 So twoorthree cities wandered to another city to drink water,
But they were not satisfied;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says theLord.
9 “Iblasted you with blight and mildew.
When your gardens increased,
Your vineyards,
Your fig trees,
And your olive trees,
# The locust devouredthem;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says theLord.
10 “I sent among you a plagueafter the manner of Egypt;
Your young men I killed with a sword,
Along with your captive horses;
I made the stench of your camps come up into your nostrils;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says theLord.
11 “I overthrewsomeof you,
# As God overthrewSodom and Gomorrah,
And you were like a firebrand plucked from the burning;
Yet you have not returned to Me,”
Says theLord.
12 “Therefore thus will I do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
# Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”
13 For behold,
He who forms mountains,
And creates the wind,
# Who declares to man what his thoughtis,
And makes the morning darkness,
# Who treads the high places of the earth—
# TheLordGod of hostsisHis name.