Dual PanelTurn back to the Lord
1Listen, nation of Israel, to my mournful message:
2you, dearest Israel, have fallen, never to rise again— you lie deserted in your own land, with no one to help you up.
3The Lord God has warned, “From every ten soldiers only one will be left; from a thousand troops, only a hundred will survive.”
4The Lord keeps saying, “Israel, turn back to me and you will live!
5Don't go to Gilgal or Bethel or even to Beersheba. Gilgal will be dragged away, and Bethel will end up as nothing.”
6Turn back to the Lord, you descendants of Joseph, and you will live. If you don't, the Lord will attack like fire. Bethel will burn to the ground, and no one can save it.
7You people are doomed! You twist the truth and trample on justice.
8But the Lord created the stars and put them in place. He turns darkness to dawn and daylight to darkness; he scoops up the ocean and empties it on the earth.
9God destroys mighty soldiers and strong fortresses.
Choose good instead of evil!
10The Lord said: You people hate judges and honest witnesses;
11you abuse the poor and demand heavy taxes from them. You have built expensive homes, but you won't enjoy them; you have planted vineyards, but you will get no wine.
12I am the Lord, and I know your terrible sins. You cheat honest people and take bribes; you rob the poor of justice.
13Times are so evil that anyone with good sense will keep quiet.
14If you really want to live, you must stop doing wrong and start doing right. I, the Lord God All-Powerful, will then be on your side, just as you claim I am.
15Choose good instead of evil! See that justice is done. Perhaps I, the Lord All-Powerful, will be kind to what's left of your people.
Judgment is coming
16This is what the Lord has sworn: Noisy crying will be heard in every town and street. Even farmers will be told to mourn for the dead, together with those who are paid to mourn.
17Your vineyards will be filled with crying and weeping, because I will punish you. I, the Lord, have spoken!
When the Lord judges
18 You look forward to the day when the Lord comes to judge. But you are in for trouble! It won't be a time of sunshine; all will be darkness.
19You will run from a lion, only to meet a bear. You will escape to your house, rest your hand on the wall, and be bitten by a snake.
20The day when the Lord judges will be dark, very dark, without a ray of light.
What the Lord demands
21 I, the Lord, hate and despise your religious celebrations and your times of worship.
22I won't accept your offerings or animal sacrifices— not even your very best.
23No more of your noisy songs! I won't listen when you play your harps.
24But let justice and fairness flow like a river that never runs dry.
25Israel, for forty years you wandered in the desert, without bringing offerings or sacrifices to me.
26Now you will have to carry the two idols you made— Sakkuth, the one you call king, and Kaiwan, the one you built in the shape of a star.
27I will force you to march as captives beyond Damascus. I, the Lord God All-Powerful, have spoken!