Run away, you residents of Shaphir, displaying your shameful nakedness. Don't come out, you residents of Zaanan! Your firm standing will disappear as Beth-ezel mourns.

"You inhabitants of Lachish, harness your chariot to your swiftest steed the daughter of Zion has begun to sin because within you the transgressions of Israel were revealed.

Therefore give your gifts to Moresheth-gath; that is, the houses of Achzib as a deceitful symbol to the kings of Israel.

"Shave your head and cut off your locks as you mourn your beloved children. Make yourself bald as an eagle, because they will go from you into exile!"

"Woe to those who are crafting iniquity, planning evil well into the night! When morning's light comes, they carry out their plans because they have the power to do so.

"Therefore this is what the LORD says, "I'm crafting evil against this family, from which you can't escape. You won't strut around arrogantly, because the times are evil.'

"When this happens, someone will compose a proverb about you, lamenting sorrowfully, "We are completely ruined! He has given my people's heritage to others. How he has removed it from me, dividing up our fields!'

Lately my people have acted like an enemy you strip travelers who thought they were as secure as those who return from war.

"Then they will cry to the LORD, but he will not listen to them. In fact, he will hide his face from them at that time, because they were so wicked in what they were doing."

"This is what the LORD says about the prophets who are causing my people to go astray, who are calling out "Peace' when they're being fed, but who declare war against those who won't feed them:

who are building up Zion by means of bloodshed, and Jerusalem by means of iniquity.

And he will judge among many people, rebuking strong nations far away; and they will reshape their swords as plowshares and their spears as pruning hooks. No nation will threaten another, nor will they train for war anymore.

"Because all of the people will walk, each person in the name of his God, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God forever and ever.

I will transform the lame into survivors, and those who were scattered into a strong nation; and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion, now and forever."

Why are you crying so loud now? There's no king among you, is there? Perhaps your advisor has died? For pain has overtaken you like a woman in labor.

Be in pain! Be in labor, you daughter of Zion, like a woman about to give birth, because now you will depart from the city, living in the open fields. To Babylon you will go. There you will be delivered, there the LORD will rescue you from the power of your enemies."

Get up and smash them to pieces, daughter of Zion, because I will make your horn like iron and your hooves like bronze! And you will beat many people to pieces, and I will consecrate their dishonest gain to the LORD and their assets to the Lord of the entire earth."

And he will be our peace." "When the Assyrian invades our land, trampling through our palaces, we will raise up seven shepherds against him, even eight significant men.

The shepherds will devastate the land of Assyria with the sword, along with the entrances to the land of Nimrod. "This is how he will vanquish Assyria when he invades our land, trampling within our borders:

You will turn your power against your adversaries, and all of your enemies will be cut down."

"It will come about at that time," declares the LORD, "I will tear away your horses from you, and I will destroy your chariots.

I will cut off the cities of your land, and I will tear down all of your fortifications.

I will render your witchcraft powerless, and mediums will no longer exist among you.

I will separate you from your carved images and sacred pillars, and you no longer will worship what you've made with your hands.

I will uproot your cultic gods from you, and I will tear down your cities.

Please hear what the LORD says: "Get up and make your case before the mountains, and let the hills listen to your voice.

For I brought you up from the land of Egypt, and ransomed you from the house of slavery, sending Moses, Aaron, and Miriam into your presence.

How am I to present myself in the LORD's presence and bow in the presence of the High God? Should I present myself with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with endless rivers of oil? Am I to give my firstborn to pay for my rebellion, the fruit of my body in exchange for my soul?

He has made it clear to you, mortal man, what is good and what the LORD is requiring from you to act with justice, to treasure the LORD's gracious love, and to walk humbly in the company of your God.

The voice of the LORD cries out to the city wisdom fears your name: "Heed the rod, and the one who prepared it!

Are there still wicked treasures in the house of the wicked, along with deceitful and abominable measuring standards?

Her rich people are filled with violence, and her inhabitants tell lies their tongues speak deceitfully!

"Therefore I will make you ill when I attack you; I will bring you to ruin because of your offenses.

You keep Omri's statutes and observe the customs of the house of Ahab. Because you live according to their advice, I'll make you desolate and turn your inhabitants into an object of scorn. Therefore you will bear the shame of my people."

Poor me! I feel like those who harvest summer fruit, or like those who pick grapes there are no clusters to eat or any fresh fruit that I want.

The best of them is like a thorn, and their most upright like a hedge of thorns. The day announced by your watchmen and by your own calculations approaches. Now it's your time to be confused!

Don't trust your friends, don't confide in a companion, watch what you say to your wife.

The son disrespects his father, the daughter rebels against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law, and a man's enemies are the people of his own house.

I will endure the LORD's anger since I have sinned against him until he takes over my defense, administers justice on my behalf, and brings me out to the light, where I will gaze on his righteousness.

Then my enemy will observe it, and shame will engulf the ones who asked me, "Where is the LORD your God?' My own eyes will see them, they will be trampled on like mud in the streets.

When the time comes for rebuilding your walls, that time will surely be extended.

Use your rod to shepherd your people, the flock that belongs to you, that lives alone in the forest of Carmel. Let them find pasture in Bashan and Gilead, as they did long ago.

They will lick the dust like a serpent; they will crawl from their strongholds like snakes. They will fear the LORD our God. They will be terrified because of you.

Is there any God like you, forgiving iniquity, passing over transgressions by the survivors who are your heritage? He is not angry forever, because he delights in gracious love.

He will again show us compassion; he will subdue our iniquities. You will hurl all their sins into the deepest sea.

You will remain true to Jacob, and merciful to Abraham, as you promised our ancestors long ago.