Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem
1 For behold, the Lord, theLordof hosts,
# Takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah
# The stock and the store,
The whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water;
2 The mighty man and the man of war,
The judge and the prophet,
And the diviner and the elder;
3 The captain of fifty and the honorable man,
The counselor and the skillful artisan,
And the expert enchanter.
4 “I will givechildrentobetheir princes,
And babes shall rule over them.
5 The people will be oppressed,
Every one by another and every one by his neighbor;
The child will be insolent toward the elder,
And the base toward the honorable.”
6 When a man takes hold of his brother
In the house of his father,saying,
“You have clothing;
You be our ruler,
Andletthese ruinsbeunder your power,”
7 In that day he will protest, saying,
“I cannot cureyourills,
For in my houseisneither food nor clothing;
Do not make me a ruler of the people.”
8 ForJerusalem stumbled,
And Judah is fallen,
Because their tongue and their doings
Areagainst theLord,
To provoke the eyes of His glory.
9 The look on their countenance witnesses against them,
# And they declare their sin asSodom;
They do not hideit.
Woe to their soul!
For they have brought evil upon themselves.
10 “Say to the righteousthatitshallbewellwiththem,
# For they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
11 Woe to the wicked!Itshallbeillwithhim,
For the reward of his hands shall be given him.
12 AsforMy people, childrenaretheir oppressors,
And women rule over them.
# O My people!Those who lead you causeyouto err,
And destroy the way of your paths.”
Oppression and Luxury Condemned
13 TheLordstands upto plead,
And stands to judge the people.
14 TheLordwill enter into judgment
With the elders of His people
And His princes:
# “For you have eaten upthe vineyard;
The plunder of the poorisin your houses.
15 What do you mean bycrushing My people
And grinding the faces of the poor?”
Says the LordGodof hosts.
16 Moreover theLordsays:
“Because the daughters of Zion are haughty,
And walk with outstretched necks
And wanton eyes,
Walking and mincingasthey go,
Making a jingling with their feet,
17 Therefore the Lord will strike witha scab
The crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
# And theLordwilluncover their secret parts.”
18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery:
# The jingling anklets, the scarves, and thecrescents;
19 The pendants, the bracelets, and the veils;
20 The headdresses, the leg ornaments, and the headbands;
The perfume boxes, the charms,
21 and the rings;
The nose jewels,
22 the festal apparel, and the mantles;
The outer garments, the purses,
23 and the mirrors;
The fine linen, the turbans, and the robes.
24 And so it shall be:
Instead of a sweet smell there will be a stench;
Instead of a sash, a rope;
# Instead of well-set hair,baldness;
Instead of a rich robe, a girding of sackcloth;
And branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men shall fall by the sword,
And your mighty in the war.
26 Her gates shall lament and mourn,
# And shebeingdesolateshall sit on the ground.