The Case Against Israel
1 Listen now to what the Lord says:
“Get up and plead your case before the mountains
and let the hills hear what you have to say.
2 Hear, you mountains and you ancient foundations of the earth,
the case of the Lord,
for the Lord has a case against his people,
and he will dispute it with Israel.
3 My people, what have I done to you?
How have I burdened you?
Answer me!
4 For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt
and redeemed you from a house of slavery.
I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised
and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal,
that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.”
6 How shall I come before the Lord,
and bow myself before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
with calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams?
With tens of thousands of rivers of oil?
Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience?
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 O mankind, he has shown you what is good.
What does the Lord require of you, but to act justly,
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
The Punishment of Israel
9 The voice of the Lord calls to the city,
and wisdom sees your name:
“Listen to the rod
and he who appointed it.
10 Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked,
and a shortened measure that is an abomination?
11 Shall I count them pure,
who keep dishonest scales,
and a bag of deceitful weights?
12 Her rich men are full of violence;
her inhabitants speak lies,
and from their mouths, their tongues speak deceit.
13 Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound.
I have made you desolate because of your sins.
14 You shall eat, but not be satisfied.
Hunger will be within you.
You will store up, but not save,
and that which you save I will give over to the sword.
15 You will sow, but will not reap.
You will tread the olives, but will not anoint yourself with oil,
and crush grapes, but will not drink the wine.
16 For the statutes of Omri are kept
and all the works of Ahab’s house,
and you walk in their counsels.
Therefore I will make you a ruin
and her inhabitants a disgrace,
and you will bear the reproach of my people.”