Study

 3

For now the Sovereign, the L ord of hosts,

is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah

support and staff—

all support of bread,

and all support of water—

2

warrior and soldier,

judge and prophet,

diviner and elder,

3

captain of fifty

and dignitary,

counselor and skillful magician

and expert enchanter.

4

And I will make boys their princes,

and babes shall rule over them.

5

The people will be oppressed,

everyone by another

and everyone by a neighbor;

the youth will be insolent to the elder,

and the base to the honorable.

 

6

Someone will even seize a relative,

a member of the clan, saying,

“You have a cloak;

you shall be our leader,

and this heap of ruins

shall be under your rule.”

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But the other will cry out on that day, saying,

“I will not be a healer;

in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;

you shall not make me

leader of the people.”

8

For Jerusalem has stumbled

and Judah has fallen,

because their speech and their deeds are against the L ord,

defying his glorious presence.

 

9

The look on their faces bears witness against them;

they proclaim their sin like Sodom,

they do not hide it.

Woe to them!

For they have brought evil on themselves.

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Tell the innocent how fortunate they are,

for they shall eat the fruit of their labors.

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Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are,

for what their hands have done shall be done to them.

12

My people—children are their oppressors,

and women rule over them.

O my people, your leaders mislead you,

and confuse the course of your paths.

 

13

The L ord rises to argue his case;

he stands to judge the peoples.

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The L ord enters into judgment

with the elders and princes of his people:

It is you who have devoured the vineyard;

the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

15

What do you mean by crushing my people,

by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord G od of hosts.

 

16

The L ord said:

Because the daughters of Zion are haughty

and walk with outstretched necks,

glancing wantonly with their eyes,

mincing along as they go,

tinkling with their feet;

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the Lord will afflict with scabs

the heads of the daughters of Zion,

and the L ord will lay bare their secret parts.

 

¹⁸ In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; ¹⁹the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarfs; ²⁰the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; ²¹the signet rings and nose rings; ²²the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; ²³the garments of gauze, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.

24

Instead of perfume there will be a stench;

and instead of a sash, a rope;

and instead of well-set hair, baldness;

and instead of a rich robe, a binding of sackcloth;

instead of beauty, shame.

25

Your men shall fall by the sword

and your warriors in battle.

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And her gates shall lament and mourn;

ravaged, she shall sit upon the ground.