For behold, Yahweh is coming out from his place, and he will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.

All this [is] for the rebellion of Jacob, and for the sins of the house of Israel. What [is] the rebellion of Jacob? [Is it] not Samaria? And what [are] the high places of Judah? [Are they] not Jerusalem?

For her wounds [are] incurable, because it has come to Judah. It has reached to the gate of my people, to Jerusalem.

Do not tell [it] in Gath; you must not weep at all. In Beth-le-Aphrah roll yourself [in] dust.

Harness the chariot to the team of horses, O inhabitants of Lachish; it [is] the beginning of sin for the daughter of Zion, for the transgressions of Israel were found in you.

Woe [to] those who plan wickedness and evil deeds upon their beds! In the light of the morning they did it, because they have power in their hands.

Therefore, thus says Yahweh: Look! I am planning disaster against this family from which you will not be able to remove your necks. You will not walk proudly, for it [is] a time of disaster.

In that day they will raise a proverb against you, and will wail a bitter wailing, saying, "We are utterly ruined; he exchanges [the] portion of my people. How he removes [it] from me; he apportions our field to an apostate."

You have driven out the women of my people from the houses of their pleasure. From their children you have taken away my glory forever.

The one who breaks out before them goes up; they break through and pass the gate, going out through it. Their king passes before them, Yahweh at their head.

And I said, "Listen, O heads of Jacob and leaders of the house of Israel! [Is it] not for you to know justice?

and who eat the flesh of my people, and strip their skin from them, and break their bones, and chop [them] like meat in the pot, and like flesh in the midst of a cooking pot."

Then they will cry to Yahweh, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time, when they have made their deeds evil.

Therefore [it will be as] night to you, without vision, and darkness to you, without divination. And the sun will set on the prophets, and the day will grow dark over them.

And it will be [that] at the end of those days, the mountain of Yahweh will be established as the highest of the mountains, and it will be lifted up above the hills, and people will stream to it.

And many nations will come and say, "Come! Let us go up to the mountain of Yahweh, and to the {temple} of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways, and that we may walk in his paths," for the law will go out from Zion, and the word of Yahweh from Jerusalem.

And you, O Migdal-Eder, hill of the daughter of Zion, to you it will come, and the former dominion will come, [the] reign of the daughter of Jerusalem.

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, [too] small to be among the clans of Judah, from you one will go out for me, to be ruler in Israel; and his origins [are] from of old, from ancient days.

And this one will be peace. [As for] the Assyrian, when he comes into our land and when he treads on our fortresses, then we will raise up against him seven shepherds and eight leaders of men.

And they will shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod at its entrances. And he will rescue [us] from the Assyrian when he comes into our land, and when they tread upon our border.

And the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many nations, like dew from Yahweh, like showers upon the grass which does not wait for a man, nor delays for the children of humankind.

And the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the wild animals of the forest, like a young lion among the herds of sheep which, when it passes through and treads [down] and tears in pieces, there is none who [can] deliver.

"And it will happen [that] in that day," {declares} Yahweh, "then I will cut off your horses from among you, and I will destroy your chariots.

Hear now what Yahweh says: "Arise! Plead [your case] with the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice."

"O my people, what have I done to you, and how have I wearied you? Answer me!

O my people, remember what Balak the king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, and [what happened from] Shittim to Gilgal, so that you might know the righteous acts of Yahweh."

With what shall I approach Yahweh, and bow down to God on high? Shall I approach him with burnt offerings, with bull calves a year old?

He has told you, O mortal, what [is] good, and what does Yahweh ask from you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

The voice of Yahweh calls to the city ([it is] sound judgment to fear your name): "Hear, staff! Now who has appointed it?

You yourself will eat but not be satisfied; your hunger [will be] in your midst, and you will put away, but you will not save, and what you save I will hand over to the sword.

Woe is me! For I have become like the gatherings of summer, like the gleanings of the grape harvest, [when] there is no cluster of grapes to eat [or] early ripened fruit [that] my soul desires.

The faithful [person] has perished from the land, and there is none who is upright among humankind. All of them lie in wait; each hunts his brother [with] a net.

Their hands [are] upon evil, to do [it] well; the official and the judge ask for the bribe, and the great [man] utters the evil desire of his soul; and they weave [it] together.

But [as for] me, I will look to Yahweh; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

I will bear the rage of Yahweh, for I have sinned against him, until he pleads my cause and executes my justice. He will bring me out to the light; I will see his righteousness.

As [in] the days when you came out from the land of Egypt I will show him wondrous things.