1 God’s Indictment of His People Hear now what the Lis saying,“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,And let the hills [as witnesses] hear your voice.
2 Hear, O mountains, the indictment of the L,And you enduring foundations of the earth,For the Lhas a case (a legal complaint) against His people,And He will dispute (challenge) Israel.
3 O My people, what have I done to you [since you have turned away from Me]?And how have I wearied you? Answer Me.
4 For I brought you up from the land of EgyptAnd ransomed you from the house of slavery,And I sent before you Moses [to lead you], Aaron [the high priest], and Miriam [the prophetess].
5 My people, remember nowWhat Balak king of Moab devised [with his evil plan against Israel]And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him [turning the curse into blessing for Israel],[Remember what the Ldid for you] fromGod reminds His people of His gracious acts in their behalf—how Balak tried to oppose Israel through pagan rites, sending for Balaam to put a curse on the Israelites; how God saved Israel by causing Balaam to bless instead of curse them; and how God later led them across the Jordan River into the promised land, from Shittim (Josh 3:1) to Gilgal (Josh 4:19).Shittim to Gilgal,So that you may know the righteousandsaving acts [displaying the power] of the L.”
6 What God Requires of Man With what shall I come before the L[to honor Him]And bow myself before God on high?Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,With yearling calves?
7 Will the Lbe delighted with thousands of rams,Or with ten thousand rivers of oil?Shall I present my firstborn for my acts of rebellion,The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has told you, O man, what is good;And what does the Lrequire of youExcept to be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion),And to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness]?
9 The voice of the Lshall call to the city [of Jerusalem]—And it is sound wisdom to heed [solemnly]andfear Your name [with awe-filled reverence];“Hear, O tribe [the rod of punishment]. Who has appointed its time?
10 Are there not still treasures gained by wickednessIn the house of the wicked,And a short (inaccurate) measure [for grain]that iscursed?
11 Can I [be guiltless and] justify deceptive scalesAnd a bag of dishonest weights?
12 For the rich men of the city are full of violence [of every kind];Her inhabitants speak liesAnd their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13 So also I will make you sick, striking you down,Desolatinganddevastating you, because of your sins.
14 You shall eat, but you will not be satisfied,And yourOr possibly garbage or vileness.emptiness shall be among you;You will [try to] remove [your goods and those you love]for safekeepingBut you will fail to saveanything,And what you do save I shall give to the sword.
15 You shall sow but you shall not reap;You shall tread olives, but shall not anoint yourself with oil,And [you will extract juice from] the grapes, but you shall not drink the wine.
16 For [you have kept] the statutes of Omri [the idolatrous king],And all the works of the [wicked] house (dynasty) of Ahab;And you walk in their counselsandpolicies.Therefore, I shall hand you over for destructionandhorrorAnd your [city’s] inhabitants for ridicule,And you shall bear the rebukeandscorn of My people.”