God Pleads with Israel
1 Hear now what theLordsays:
“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills hear your voice.
2 Hear, O you mountains,theLord’s complaint,
And you strong foundations of the earth;
# FortheLordhas a complaint against His people,
And He will contend with Israel.
3 “O My people, whathave I done to you?
# And how have Iwearied you?
Testify against Me.
4 For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,
I redeemed you from the house of bondage;
And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 O My people, remember now
# WhatBalak king of Moab counseled,
And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him,
From Acacia Grove to Gilgal,
# That you may knowthe righteousness of theLord.”
6 With what shall I come before theLord,
Andbow myself before the High God?
Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,
With calves a year old?
7 Will theLordbe pleased with thousands of rams,
# Ten thousandrivers of oil?
# Shall I give my firstbornformy transgression,
The fruit of my bodyforthe sin of my soul?
8 He hasshown you, O man, whatisgood;
And what does theLordrequire of you
# Butto do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?
Punishment of Israel’s Injustice
9 TheLord’s voice cries to the city—
Wisdom shall see Your name:
“Hear the rod!
Who has appointed it?
10 Are there yet the treasures of wickedness
In the house of the wicked,
And the short measurethatisan abomination?
11 Shall I count purethosewiththe wicked scales,
And with the bag of deceitful weights?
12 For her rich men are full ofviolence,
Her inhabitants have spoken lies,
# Andtheir tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13 “Therefore I will alsomakeyousick by striking you,
By makingyoudesolate because of your sins.
14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied;
Hungershallbein your midst.
You may carrysomeaway, but shall not savethem;
And what you do rescue I will give over to the sword.
15 “You shallsow, but not reap;
You shall tread the olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil;
Andmakesweet wine, but not drink wine.
16 For the statutes ofOmri arekept;
All the works of Ahab’s housearedone;
And you walk in their counsels,
That I may make you a desolation,
And your inhabitants a hissing.
# Therefore you shall bear thereproach of My people.”