The Lord Will Purify His People

10 “In that day,” says the Lord,

“I will destroy your horses from your midst,

and smash your chariots.

11 I will destroy the cities of your land,

and tear down all your fortresses.

12 I will remove the sorcery that you practice,

and you will no longer have omen readers living among you.

13 I will remove your idols and sacred pillars from your midst;

you will no longer worship what your own hands made.

14 I will uproot your images of Asherah from your midst,

and destroy your idols.

15 I will angrily seek vengeance

on the nations that do not obey me.”

6 Listen to what the Lord says:

“Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains!

Present your case before the hills!”

2 Hear the Lord’s accusation, you mountains,

you enduring foundations of the earth!

For the Lord has a case against his people;

he has a dispute with Israel!

3 “My people, how have I wronged you?

How have I wearied you? Answer me!

4 In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt,

I delivered you from that place of slavery.

I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.

5 My people, recall how King Balak of Moab planned to harm you,

how Balaam son of Beor responded to him.

Recall how you journeyed from Shittim to Gilgal,

so you might acknowledge that the Lord has treated you fairly.”

6 With what should I enter the Lord’s presence?

With what should I bow before the sovereign God?

Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings,

with year-old calves?

7 Will the Lord accept a thousand rams,

or ten thousand streams of olive oil?

Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion,

my offspring – my own flesh and blood – for my sin?

8 He has told you, O man, what is good,

and what the Lord really wants from you:

He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful,

and to live obediently before your God.

9 Listen! The Lord is calling to the city!

It is wise to respect your authority, O Lord!

Listen, O nation, and those assembled in the city!

10 “I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away,

or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much.

11 I do not condone the use of rigged scales,

or a bag of deceptive weights.

12 The city’s rich men think nothing of resorting to violence;

her inhabitants lie,

their tongues speak deceptive words.

13 I will strike you brutally

and destroy you because of your sin.

14 You will eat, but not be satisfied.

Even if you have the strength to overtake some prey,

you will not be able to carry it away;

if you do happen to carry away something,

I will deliver it over to the sword.

15 You will plant crops, but will not harvest them;

you will squeeze oil from the olives, but you will have no oil to rub on your bodies;

you will squeeze juice from the grapes, but you will have no wine to drink.

16 You implement the regulations of Omri,

and all the practices of Ahab’s dynasty;

you follow their policies.

Therefore I will make you an appalling sight,

the city’s inhabitants will be taunted derisively,

and nations will mock all of you.”

7 I am depressed!

Indeed, it is as if the summer fruit has been gathered,

and the grapes have been harvested.

There is no grape cluster to eat,

no fresh figs that I crave so much.

2 Faithful men have disappeared from the land;

there are no godly men left.

They all wait in ambush so they can shed blood;

they hunt their own brother with a net.

3 They are determined to be experts at doing evil;

government officials and judges take bribes,

prominent men make demands,

and they all do what is necessary to satisfy them.

4 The best of them is like a thorn;

the most godly among them are more dangerous than a row of thorn bushes.

The day you try to avoid by posting watchmen –

your appointed time of punishment – is on the way,

and then you will experience confusion.

5 Do not rely on a friend;

do not trust a companion!

Don’t even share secrets with the one who lies in your arms!

6 For a son thinks his father is a fool,

a daughter challenges her mother,

and a daughter-in-law her mother-in-law;

a man’s enemies are his own servants.

7 But I will keep watching for the Lord;

I will wait for the God who delivers me.

My God will hear my lament.