Yet You Have Not Returned to Me
Hear this word, you cows of aBashan who are on the bmountain of Samaria,
Who coppress the poor, who crush the needy,
Who say to their husbands, “Bring now, that we may ddrink!”
2 Lord Yahweh has asworn by His bholiness that,
“Behold, the days are coming upon you,
And they will take you away with cmeat hooks,
And the last of you with dfish hooks.
3 And you will ago out through breaches in the walls,
Each one straight before her,
And you will be cast to Harmon,” declares Yahweh.
4 “Enter Bethel and transgress;
In Gilgal multiply transgression!
aBring your sacrifices every morning,
Your tithes every three days.
5 And offer a athank offering also from that which is leavened,
And call for bfreewill offerings; cause them to be heard about.
For so you clove to do, you sons of Israel,”
Declares Lord Yahweh.
6 “But I gave you also acleanness of teeth in all your cities
And lack of bread in all your places,
Yet you have bnot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
7 “And I also awithheld the rain from you
While there were still three months until harvest.
Then I would send rain on one city,
And on banother city I would not send rain;
One portion would be rained on,
While the portion not rained on would dry up.
8 So two or three cities would wander around to another city to drink awater,
But would bnot be satisfied;
Yet you have cnot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
9 “I astruck you with scorching wind and mildew;
And the bgnawing locust was devouring
Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees, and olive trees;
Yet you have cnot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
10 “I sent a apestilence among you after the manner of Egypt;
I bkilled your choice men by the sword along with your ccaptured horses,
And I made the dstench of your camp rise up even in your nostrils;
Yet you have enot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
11 “I overthrew you as aGod overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,
And you were like a bfirebrand delivered from a blaze;
Yet you have cnot returned to Me,” declares Yahweh.
12 “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;
Because I will do this to you,
Prepare to ameet your God, O Israel.”
13 For behold, He who aforms mountains and bcreates the wind
And cdeclares to man what are His thoughts,
He who dmakes dawn into gloom
And etreads on the high places of the earth,
fYahweh God of hosts is His name.