6 This is what Yahweh says:

“Even if Yisrael (Israel) was three or four sins below the threshold,

I wouldn’t turn away its punishment,

because they sold the innocent for silver

≈ and the needy for a pair of sandals. 7 They trample the heads of the poor into the dust.

They just push the oppressed out of the way.

A man and his father go lie with the same girl

and so profane my sinless reputation. 8 They lie down beside every altar on clothes taken from the poor as pledges,

and in the house of their god they drink the wine of those who were fined.

9 Yet I destroyed the Amorim before them.

They were as tall as of cedars

and as strong as oaks.

Yet I destroyed their fruit up high

and their roots down below.[ref] 10 Also, I brought you all out of Mitsrayim (Egypt)

and led you forty years in the wilderness

so you all could possess the land of the Amorim.

11 I raised prophets up from among your sons

≈ and devoted Nazirites from your young men.[ref]

Isn’t that right, you Israelis?

This is Yahweh’s declaration.

12 But you all persuaded the Nazirites to drink wine[ref]

and ordered the prophets not to prophesy.

13 Listen, I’m going to make you lose your stability

just like a cart wobbles when it’s carrying a heavy load of grain.

14 Even fast people won’t be able to reach a safe place.

≈ The strong won’t have enough strength of their own,

≈ and the powerful won’t be able to save themselves.

15 The archer holding the bow will be forced to retreat.

Even the fast runner won’t be able to escape.

The horse-rider won’t escape with his life.

16 Even the bravest warriors will flee naked that day.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

3 Hear this message that Yahweh has spoken against you, people of Yisrael (Israel), against Ya’akov’s (Jacob’s) descendants that I brought out of Mitsrayim (Egypt) saying: 2 “I have chosen only you from all the families of the earth, therefore I’ll punish you all for all your sins.”