1
Hear ye this word which I▵ take··up against you, a lamentation , O house of Israel .
2
The virgin of Israel has fallen ; she shall not arise again; she is abandoned on her ground; there is none to raise· her ·up.
3
For thus says the Lord Jehovih*: The city that went··out by a thousand shall have a hundred left, and that which went··out by a hundred shall have ten left, to the house of Israel .
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For thus says Jehovah to the house of Israel : Inquire··after Me, and live;
5
but inquire· not ·after Bethel , nor come into Gilgal , and pass not to Beer-sheba, for Gilgal exiled shall be exiled, and Bethel shall be for sorrow◦.
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Inquire··after Jehovah , and you shall live, lest He come··mightily as fire on the house of Joseph , and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Bethel ,
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you who turn judgment to wormwood , and replace justice in the earth !
8
He who makes the Pleiades and Orion, and turns the shadow··of··death into◦ the morning , and darkens the day into night ; who calls to the waters of the sea , and spills them on the faces of the earth : Jehovah is His name ,
9
who strengthens◦ devastation against the strong, and devastation shall come against the fortress .
10
They hate him who reproves in the gate , and they abominate him who speaks in integrity.
11
Therefore because your treading▵ is upon the poor, and you take from him burdens of grain◦, you shall build houses of hewn◦ stone, but you shall not dwell in them; you shall plant vineyards of desire, but you shall not drink wine of them.
12
For I know your many transgressions and your numerous sins ; being··an··adversary to the just , taking a bribe◦*, and they caused the needy to go··aside in the gate .
13
Therefore those having··intelligence shall be··still in that◦ time , for it◦ is an evil time .
14
Inquire··after good , and not evil , in··order··that you may live; and so Jehovah , the God of Armies , shall be with you, as◦ you have said .
15
Hate evil , and love good , and place◦ judgment in the gate ; perhaps Jehovah God of Armies will be··gracious··to those who··are··left of Joseph .
16
Therefore Jehovah , the God of Armies , the Lord , says thus: Wailing shall be in all streets , and they shall say in all the avenues, Alas, alas! And they shall call the farmer to▵ mourning and wailing, to▵ those knowing lamentation◦,
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and in all vineyards shall be wailing, for I will pass ··through in the midst··of thee, says Jehovah .
18
Woe to you who long ··for the day of Jehovah ! To what end is this to you? The day of Jehovah , it◦ is darkness , and not light ,
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As◦ if a man ◦ did flee from before a lion , and a bear fell··upon him; or he came ··into the house , and supported his hand on the wall ◦, and a serpent bit him.
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Shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness , and not light , and thick··darkness , and no◦ brightness for it?
21
I hate , I reject your festivals, and I will not smell your days of restraint*,
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for if you offer··up to Me burnt··offerings and your gift··offerings , I will not be··well··pleased; and I will not look··on the peace ··offerings of your fatlings .
23
Remove from upon Me the noise of thy songs , and the psalm of thy psalteries I will not hear .
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But let judgment roll down as waters, and justice as a strong◦ brook .
25
Have you presented to Me sacrifices and gift··offerings in the wilderness forty years, O house of Israel ?
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But you have carried Siccuth your king, and Kiiun your images , the star of your gods , which you made for yourselves.
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And I will cause you to go into exile beyond Damascus , says Jehovah , whose name is The God of Armies .