Yahweh’s Case Against His People
aListen now to what Yahweh is saying,
“Arise, plead your case before the mountains,
And let the hills alisten to your voice.
2 aListen, you mountains, to the case of Yahweh,
And you enduring bfoundations of the earth,
Because cYahweh has a case against His people;
Even with Israel He will reprove.
3 aMy people, bwhat have I done to you,
And chow have I wearied you? Answer Me.
4 Indeed, I abrought you up from the land of Egypt
And bransomed you from the house of slavery,
And I sent before you cMoses, Aaron, and dMiriam.
5 My people, remember now
What aBalak king of Moab counseled
And what Balaam son of Beor answered him,
And from bShittim to cGilgal,
So that you might know the drighteous acts of Yahweh.”
What Yahweh Requires
6 aWith what shall I come before Yahweh
And bow myself before the God on high?
Shall I come before Him with bburnt offerings,
With yearling calves?
7 Is Yahweh pleased with athousands of rams,
With ten thousand rivers of oil?
Shall I give my bfirstborn for my transgression,
The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 He has atold you, O man, what is good;
And bwhat does Yahweh require of you
But to cdo justice, to dlove lovingkindness,
And to walk ehumbly with your God?
9 The voice of Yahweh will call to the city—
And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name:
“Hear, O tribe. Who even has appointed its time?
10 Is there yet a man in the wicked house,
Along with treasures of awickedness,
And a bshort measure which is cursed?
11 Can I purify wicked ascales
And a bag of deceptive weights?
12 For the rich men of the city are full of aviolence,
And her inhabitants speak blies,
And their ctongue is deceitful in their mouth.
13 So also I will make you asick, striking you down,
bDesolating you because of your sins.
14 You will eat, but you will anot be satisfied,
And your vileness will be in your midst.
And you will try to remove something for safekeeping,
But you will bnot cause anything to escape,
And that which you do have escape, I will give to the sword.
15 You will sow but you will anot reap.
You will tread the olive but will not anoint yourself with oil;
And the grapes, but you will bnot drink wine.
16 The statutes of aOmri
And all the works of the house of bAhab are kept;
And in their counsels you cwalk.
Therefore I will give you up as dan object of horror
And your inhabitants as an eobject of hissing,
And you will bear the freproach of My people.”