A Lament And Call To Repentance

1 Hear this word that I am bearing to you, A lamentation, O house of Israel:

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

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

2 Fallen, not again to rise, hath the virgin of Israel, Left on her land -- she hath no raiser 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, 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 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.'

3 For thus said the Lord Jehovah: The city that is going out a thousand, Doth leave an hundred, And that which is going out an hundred, Doth leave ten 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 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 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.'"

Seek God And Live

4 For thus said Jehovah to the house of Israel: Seek ye Me, and live,

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

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

5 And seek not Beth-El, and Gilgal enter not, And Beer-Sheba pass not through, For Gilgal doth utterly remove, And Beth-El doth become vanity.

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 “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 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.

6 Seek ye Jehovah, and live, Lest He prosper as fire against the house of Joseph, And it hath consumed, And there is no quencher for Beth-El.

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 (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 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.

7 Ye who are turning to wormwood judgment, And righteousness to the earth have put down,

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

7 For those who turn (N)justice into wormwoodAnd (e)cast righteousness down to 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:

8 The maker of Kimah and Kesil, And the turner to morning of death-shade, And day as night He hath made dark, Who is calling to the waters of the sea, And poureth them on the face of the earth, Jehovah 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 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 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.

9 Who is brightening up the spoiled against the strong, And the spoiled against a fortress cometh.

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

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

10 They have hated a reprover in the gate, And a plain speaker they abominate.

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

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

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.

11 Therefore, because of your trampling on the poor, And the tribute of corn ye take from him, Houses of hewn work ye have built, And ye do not dwell in them, Desirable vineyards ye have planted, And ye do 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 (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 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

12 For I have known -- many are your transgressions, And mighty your sins, Adversaries of the righteous, taking ransoms, And the needy in the gate ye turned aside.

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 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 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

13 Therefore is the wise at that time silent, For an evil time it is.

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

13 Therefore at (k)such a time the prudent person (AA)keeps silent, 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.

14 Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live, And it is so; Jehovah, God of Hosts, is with you, as ye 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 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 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.

15 Hate evil, and love good, And set up judgment in the gate, It may be Jehovah, God of Hosts, doth pity the 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 (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 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.'"

16 Therefore, thus said Jehovah, God of Hosts, the Lord, In all broad places is lamentation, And in all out-places they say, 'Alas, alas,' And called the husbandman to mourning, And to lamentation the skilful of wailing.

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 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 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.

17 And in all vineyards is lamentation, For I pass into thy midst, said Jehovah.

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

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

The Day Of Yahweh

18 Ho, ye who are desiring the day of Jehovah, Why is this to you -- the day of Jehovah? It is 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 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 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.

19 As when one fleeth from the face of the lion, And the bear hath met him, And he hath come in to the house, And hath leant his hand on the wall, And the serpent hath bitten 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 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 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!

20 Is not the day of Jehovah darkness and not light, Even thick darkness that hath no brightness?

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

20 Will not the day of the Lord be (AM)darkness instead of light,Even gloom with 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?"

The Lord Rejects Israel's Worship

21 I have hated -- I have loathed your festivals, And I am not refreshed by your restraints.

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

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

22 For though ye cause burnt-offerings and your presents to ascend to Me, I am not pleased, And the peace-offering of your fatlings I behold not.

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 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 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.

23 Turn aside from Me the noise of thy songs, Yea, the praise of thy psaltery I hear not.

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 even listen to the sound of your harps.

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.

24 And roll on as waters doth judgment, And righteousness as a perennial stream.

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

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

25 Sacrifices and offering did ye bring nigh to Me, In a wilderness 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 (p)(AS)Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for 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?

26 And ye bare Succoth your king, and Chiun your images, The star of your god, that ye 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 (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 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.

27 And I removed you beyond Damascus, Said Jehovah, God of Hosts is His name.

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

27 Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says 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.

Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers.

International Standard Version Copyright © 1996-2008 by the ISV Foundation.

King James Version Public Domain

New American Standard Bible Copyright ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org