2 Hear, heavens, and listen, earth, because Yahweh has spoken:

“I’ve raised sons and brought them up,

^ but they’ve rebelled against me.

3 The bull knows his owner,

and the donkey knows its master’s feeding trough,

but Yisrael doesn’t know—

my people don’t understand.”

4 This sinful nation won’t come to a good end.

≈ these people who excel at disobeying.

Descendants of those in the habit of doing evil things.

≈ Children who act corruptly.

They have abandoned Yahweh.

≈ They have despised Yisrael’s holy one.

≈ They have estranged themselves from him.

5 Why do you want more beatings?

≈ Why do you keep rebelling?

Your whole head is sick,

≈ and your motivation is weak.

6 From the sole of the foot up to the head nothing is healthy.

Bruises and sores and fresh wounds haven’t been cleaned out,

≈ and they haven’t been bandaged or treated with olive oil.

7 Your country is totally ruined with your cities all burnt down.

Right in front of you, strangers are taking all the harvest from your field—

leaving devastation and destruction behind.

8 Tsiyyon’s (Zion’s) daughter is left isolated

like a hut in a vineyard,

≈ like a shed in a cucumber field,

≈ like a besieged city.

9 If it wasn’t for the fact that army commander Yahweh left a few survivors behind,

we would have been wiped out like both Sodom and Amorah (Gomorrah).[ref]

10 Hear what Yahweh has to say, you who’re like Sodom’s rulers.

≈ Listen to God’s instructions, you who’re like Amorrah’s people:

11 “What do your many sacrifices mean to me?” asks Yahweh.

“I’ve had enough of the burnt offerings of rams,

and the fat of fattened animals,

and I’m not pleased by the blood of bulls or lambs or goats.[ref]

12 Who told you all that you had to appear in front of me?

Who said that you all should come and trample through my courtyards?

13 Don’t keep bringing me worthless offerings.

They smell terribly bad to me.

New moon holidays and sabbaths, calling of assemblies—

I can’t stand your disobedience mixed with your festive celebrations.

14 My spirit hates your religious holidays and your feasts on the calendar.

They’ve become a burden to me that I’m tired of carrying.

15 So when you spread out your hands, I just hide my eyes from you all.

Even though you multiply prayers, I don’t listen

because your hands are full of blood.

16 Wash yourselves and get cleaned up.

Remove the evil of your actions from in front of me.

≈ Stop doing evil things.

17 Learn to do good.

≈ Strive for justice.

≈ Correct the oppressor.

Serve justice for the fatherless.

≈ Stand up for the widow in court.”

18 Yahweh says, “Come, now, and let’s work things out together.

Even though your sins are like scarlet, they’ll become as white like snow.

≈ Even though they’re red like crimson, they’ll become like wool.

19 If you’re willing and ready to obey,

you’ll all eat the best food from the land,

20 but if you refuse and rebel,

war will be what eats you all.

That’s what Yahweh is telling you.”