A Lament And Call To Repentance

1 Hear this word which I take up for you as a (A)dirge, O house of Israel:

1 Hear ye this word which I take up against you, even a lamentation, O house of Israel.

1 Listen to this message that I am singing for you, a lament,(A) house of Israel:

1 "Hear this accusation that I am bringing against you: "A dirge, house of Israel:

1 Hear this word which I take up for you as a funeral song, O house of Israel:

2 She has fallen, she will (B)not rise again—The (C)virgin Israel.She lies neglected on her land;There is (D)none to raise her up.

2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up.

2 She has fallen;Virgin Israel(B) will never rise again.(C)She lies abandoned on her land,with no one to raise her up.(D)

2 Fallen is Israel the virgin never to rise again! She is abandoned on her own land, with no one to raise her up.'

2 She has fallen, she will not rise again—The virgin Israel.She lies neglected on her land;There is no one to raise her up.

3 For thus says the Lord (a)God,“The city which goes forth a thousand strongWill have a (E)hundred left,And the one which goes forth a hundred strongWill have (F)ten left to the house of Israel.”

3 For thus saith the Lord GOD; The city that went out by a thousand shall leave an hundred, and that which went forth by an hundred shall leave ten, to the house of Israel.

3 For the Lord God says:The city that marches out a thousand strongwill have only a hundred left,(E)and the one that marches out a hundred strongwill have only ten left(F) in the house of Israel.

3 "For this is what the Lord GOD says: "The city that is sending out a thousand will have a hundred left; The city that is sending out a hundred will have ten left of the house of Israel.'"

3 For thus says the Lord God,“The city which goes forth a thousand strongWill have a hundred left,And the one which goes forth a hundred strongWill have ten left to the house of Israel.”

Seek God And Live

4 For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel,(G)Seek Me (H)that you may live.

4 For thus saith the LORD unto the house of Israel, Seek ye me, and ye shall live:

4 For the Lord says to the house of Israel:Seek Me and live!(G)

4 "For this is what the LORD says to the house of Israel: "Seek me and live,

4 For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel,“Seek Me [search diligently for Me and regard Me as more essential than food] so that you may live.(A)

5 “But do not (b)resort to (I)BethelAnd do not come to (J)Gilgal,Nor cross over to (K)Beersheba;For Gilgal will certainly go into captivityAnd Bethel will (c)come to trouble.

5 But seek not Bethel, nor enter into Gilgal, and pass not to Beersheba: for Gilgal shall surely go into captivity, and Bethel shall come to nought.

5 Do not seek Bethel(H)or go to Gilgal(I)or journey to Beer-sheba,(J)for Gilgal will certainly go into exile,and Bethel will come to nothing.

5 but don't seek Bethel. Don't go to Gilgal, and don't pass over to Beer-sheba. Because Gilgal will surely go into captivity, and Bethel will come to nothing.

5 “But do not resort to Bethel [to worship the golden calf]Nor enter [idolatrous] Gilgal,Nor cross over to Beersheba [and its idols];For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity and exile,And Bethel will come to nothing.

6 (L)Seek the Lord that you may live,Or He will break forth like a (M)fire, (d)O house of Joseph,And it will consume with none to quench it for Bethel,

6 Seek the LORD, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel.

6 Seek Yahweh(K) and live,or He will spread like fire(L)throughout the house of Joseph;it will consume everything,with no one at Bethel to extinguish it.(M)

6 "Seek the LORD and live! Otherwise, he may break out like a fire in the house of Joseph and devour Bethel, and there will be no one to extinguish it.

6 “Seek the Lord [search diligently for Him and long for Him as your most essential need] so that you may live,Or He will rush down like a [devouring] fire, O (a)house of Joseph,And there will be no one to quench the flame for [idolatrous] (b)Bethel,

7 For those who turn (N)justice into wormwoodAnd (e)cast righteousness down to the earth.”

7 Ye who turn judgment to wormwood, and leave off righteousness in the earth,

7 Those who turn justice into wormwood(N)throw righteousness to the ground.

7 Those of you who are making justice taste bitter, and who have thrown righteousness to the ground:

7 “For those [shall be consumed] who turn justice into wormwood (bitterness)And cast righteousness down to the earth.”

8 He who made the (O)Pleiades and OrionAnd (P)changes deep darkness into morning,(f)Who also (Q)darkens day into night,Who (R)calls for the waters of the seaAnd pours them out on the surface of the earth,The (S)Lord is His name.

8 Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:

8 The One who made the Pleiades and Orion,(O)who turns darkness(a) into dawn(P)and darkens day into night,(Q)who summons the waters of the sea(R)and pours them out over the face of the earth(S)Yahweh is His name.(T)

8 Seek the one who fashions the Pleiades and Orion, who turns the deep darkness into morning, who darkens day into night, who calls out to the waters of the sea, pouring them out onto the surface of the earth the LORD is his name.

8 He who made the [cluster of stars called] Pleiades and [the constellation] Orion,Who turns deep darkness into the morningAnd darkens the day into night,Who calls for the waters of the seaAnd pours them out on the surface of the earth,The Lord is His name.

9 It is He who (T)flashes forth with destruction upon the strong,So that (U)destruction comes upon the fortress.

9 That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress.

9 He brings destruction(b) on the strong,(c)(U)and it falls on the stronghold.(V)

9 It is he who is raining sudden destruction upon the strong like lightning, so that ruin comes upon the fortress.

9 It is He who causes [sudden] destruction to flash forth on the strongSo that destruction comes on the fortress.

10 They hate him who (V)reproves in the (g)gate,And they (W)abhor him who speaks with integrity.

10 They hate him that rebuketh in the gate, and they abhor him that speaketh uprightly.

10 They hate the one who convicts the guilty(W)at the city gateand despise(X) the one who speaks with integrity.

10 They have hated those who are presenting their cases in court, detesting the one who speaks truthfully.

10 They hate the one who reprimands [the unrighteous] in the [court held at the city] gate [regarding him as unreasonable and rejecting his reprimand],And they detest him who speaks [the truth] with integrity and honesty.

11 Therefore because you (h)impose heavy rent on the poorAnd exact a tribute of grain from them,Though you have built (X)houses of well-hewn stone,Yet you will not live in them;You have planted pleasant vineyards, yet you will (Y)not drink their wine.

11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, and ye take from him burdens of wheat: ye have built houses of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them; ye have planted pleasant vineyards, but ye shall not drink wine of them.

11 Therefore, because you trample on the poor(Y)and exact a grain tax from him,you will never live in the houses of cut stone(Z)you have built;you will never drink the winefrom the lush vineyardsyou have planted.(AA)

11 "Therefore, since you trample the poor continuously, taxing his grain, building houses of stone in which you won't live and planting fine vineyards from which you won't drink

11 Therefore, because you impose heavy rent on the poorAnd demand a tribute (food-tax) of grain from them,Though you have built [luxurious] houses of square stone,You will not live in them;You have planted beautiful vineyards, but you will not drink their wine.

12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great,You who (Z)distress the righteous and accept bribesAnd (i)turn aside the poor in the (j)gate.

12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: they afflict the just, they take a bribe, and they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

12 For I know your crimes are manyand your sins innumerable.They oppress the righteous,(AB) take a bribe,and deprive the poor of justice(AC) at the gates.

12 and because I know that your transgressions are many, and your sins are numerous as you oppose the righteous, taking bribes as a ransom, and turning away the poor in court

12 For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great (shocking, innumerable),You who distress the righteous and take bribes,And turn away from the poor in the [court of the city] gate [depriving them of justice].

13 Therefore at (k)such a time the prudent person (AA)keeps silent, for it is an evil time.

13 Therefore the prudent shall keep silence in that time; for it is an evil time.

13 Therefore, the wise person will keep silent(d)(AD)at such a time,for the days are evil.

13 therefore the prudent person remains silent at such a time, for the time is evil.

13 Therefore, he who is prudent and has insight will keep silent at such a [corrupt and evil] time, for it is an evil time [when people will not listen to truth and will disregard those of good character].

14 Seek good and not evil, that you may live;And thus may the Lord God of hosts be with you,(AB)Just as you have said!

14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken.

14 Seek good and not evilso that you may live,and the Lord, the God of Hosts,will be with you,as you have claimed.(AE)

14 "Pursue good and not evil, so that you may live, and this is what will happen: The LORD God of the Heavenly Armies will be with you, as you have been claiming.

14 Seek (long for, require) good and not evil, that you may live;And so may the Lord God of hosts be with you,Just as you have said!

15 (AC)Hate evil, love good,And establish justice in the (l)gate!Perhaps the Lord God of hosts(AD)May be gracious to the (AE)remnant of Joseph.

15 Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.

15 Hate evil and love good;(AF)establish justice in the gate.(AG)Perhaps the Lord, the God of Hosts, will be gracious(AH)to the remnant of Joseph.(AI)

15 Hate evil and love good, and establish justice in court perhaps the LORD, the God of the Heavenly Armies, will be gracious to the survivors of Joseph.'"

15 Hate evil and love good,And establish justice in the [court of the city] gate.Perhaps the Lord God of hostsWill be gracious to the remnant of Joseph [that is, those who remain after God’s judgment].

16 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, the Lord,“There is (AF)wailing in all the plazas,And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’They also call the (AG)farmer to mourningAnd (m)(AH)professional mourners to lamentation.

16 Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing shall be in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.

16 Therefore Yahweh, the God of Hosts, the Lord, says:There will be wailing in all the public squares;(AJ)they will cry out in anguish(e) in all the streets.The farmer will be called on to mourn,(AK)and professional mourners(f)(AL) to wail.

16 Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of the Heavenly Armies, the Lord, says: "There will be dirges in all of the streets; and in all of the highways they will cry out in anguish. They will call the farmer to mourning and those who lament to grieve.

16 Therefore, thus says the Lord God of hosts, the Lord,“There is wailing in all the public plazas,And in all the streets they say, ‘Alas! Alas!’And they call the farmers to mourning [for those who have died]And professional mourners to wailing.

17 “And in all the (AI)vineyards there is wailing,Because I will pass through the midst of you,” says the Lord.

17 And in all vineyards shall be wailing: for I will pass through thee, saith the LORD.

17 There will be wailing in all the vineyards,(AM)for I will pass among you.(AN)The Lord has spoken.

17 And in all of the vineyards there will be mourning when I pass through your midst,' says the LORD."

17 “And in all vineyards there is wailing,For I will pass through your midst [in judgment],” says the Lord.(B)

The Day Of Yahweh

18 Alas, you who are longing for the (AJ)day of the Lord,For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you?It will be (AK)darkness and not light;

18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.

18 Woe to you who long for the Day of the Lord!(AO)What will the Day of the Lord be for you?It will be darkness and not light.(AP)

18 "Woe to those who are craving the Day of the LORD! How is it to your benefit, this Day of the LORD? It's a day of darkness to you, and not light.

18 Woe (judgment is coming) to you who desire the day of the Lord [expecting rescue from the Gentiles]!Why would you want the day of the Lord?It is darkness (judgment) and not light [and rescue and prosperity];

19 As when a man (AL)flees from a lionAnd a bear meets him,(n)Or goes home, leans his hand against the wallAnd a snake bites him.

19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.

19 It will be like a man who flees from a lion(AQ)only to have a bear confront him.He goes home and rests his hand against the wallonly to have a snake bite him.

19 It will be like a man who runs from a lion, only to encounter a bear; or who comes home, leans his hand against a wall, and a serpent bites him!

19 It is as if a man runs from a lion [escaping one danger]And a bear meets him [so he dies anyway],Or goes home, and leans with his hand against the wallAnd a snake bites him.

20 Will not the day of the Lord be (AM)darkness instead of light,Even gloom with no brightness in it?

20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

20 Won’t the Day of the Lordbe darkness rather than light,(AR)even gloom without any brightness in it?(AS)

20 Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness, and not light pitch black at that, without a ray of sunshine?"

20 Will not the day of the Lord be darkness, instead of light,Even very dark with no brightness in it?

The Lord Rejects Israel's Worship

21 “I hate, I (AN)reject your festivals,Nor do I (o)(AO)delight in your solemn assemblies.

21 I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies.

21 I hate, I despise your feasts!(AT)I can’t stand the stenchof your solemn assemblies.(AU)

21 "I hate I despise your festival days, and your solemn convocations stink.

21 “I hate, I despise and reject your [sacred] feasts,And I do not take delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 “Even though you (AP)offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,I will not accept them;And I will not even look at the (AQ)peace offerings of your fatlings.

22 Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts.

22 Even if you offer Meyour burnt offerings and grain offerings,(AV)I will not accept them;(AW)I will have no regardfor your fellowship offerings of fattened cattle.(AX)

22 And if you send up burnt offerings to me as well as your grain offerings, I will not accept them, nor will I consider your peace offerings of fattened cattle.

22 “Even though you offer Me your burnt offerings and your grain offerings,I will not accept them;And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fattened animals.

23 “Take away from Me the noise of your songs;I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.

23 Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

23 Take away from Me the noise of your songs!I will not listen to the music of your harps.(AY)

23 Spare me your noisy singing I will not listen to your musical instruments.

23 “Take the noise of your songs away from Me [they are an irritation]!I shall not even listen to the melody of your harps.

24 “But let (AR)justice roll down like watersAnd righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

24 But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.

24 But let justice flow like water,and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.(AZ)

24 "But let justice roll on like many waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing river.

24 “But let justice run down like watersAnd righteousness like an ever-flowing stream [flowing abundantly].

25 (p)(AS)Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel?

25 Have ye offered unto me sacrifices and offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel?

25 “House of Israel, was it sacrifices and grain offerings that you presented to Me during the 40 years in the wilderness?(BA)

25 "Was it to me that you brought offerings and gifts in the desert for 40 years, house of Israel?

25 “Did you bring Me sacrifices and grain offerings during those forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? [Certainly not!]

26 (AT)You also carried along (q)Sikkuth your king and (r)Kiyyun, your images, (s)the star of your gods which you made for yourselves.

26 But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves.

26 But you have taken up(g) Sakkuth(h)(i) your king(j) and Kaiwan(k) your star god, images you have made for yourselves.(BB)

26 And you carried the tent of your king and Saturn, your star god idols that you crafted for yourselves.

26 You carried along your king Sikkuth and Kayyun [your man-made gods of Saturn], your images of your star-god which you made for yourselves [but you brought Me none of the appointed sacrifices].

27 Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.

27 Therefore will I cause you to go into captivity beyond Damascus, saith the LORD, whose name is The God of hosts.

27 So I will send you into exile beyond Damascus.”(BC) Yahweh, the God of Hosts, is His name.(BD) He has spoken.

27 So I will cause you to be taken captive beyond Damascus," says the LORD, whose name is God of the Heavenly Armies.

27 Therefore, I will send you to go into exile far beyond Damascus,” says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.(C)

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