Social and Spiritual Corruption

1Listen to this message, you cows of Bashana

who are on the hill of Samaria,

women who oppress the poor

and crush the needy,b

who say to their husbands,

“Bring us something to drink.”c

2The Lord God has sworna by his holiness:b

Look, the days are comingA

when you will be taken away with hooks,c

every last one of you with fishhooks.d

3You will go through breaches in the wall,a

each woman straight ahead,

and you will be driven along toward Harmon.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

4Come to Bethel and rebel;

rebel even more at Gilgal!a

Bring your sacrifices every morning,b

your tenths every three days.

5Offer leavened bread as a thanksgiving sacrifice,a

and loudly proclaim your freewill offerings,b

for that is what you Israelites love to do!c

This is the declaration of the Lord God.

God’s Discipline and Israel’s Apostasy

6I gave you absolutely nothing to eata a in all your cities,

a shortage of food in all your communities,

yet you did not return to me.b

This is the Lord’s declaration.

7I also withheld the rain from youa

while there were still three months until harvest.

I sent rain on one city

but no rain on another.b

One field received rain

while a field with no rain withered.c

8Two or three cities staggered

to another city to drink watera

but were not satisfied,b

yet you did not returnc to me.

This is the Lord’s declaration.

9I struck you with blight and mildew;a

the locust devouredb

your many gardens and vineyards,

your fig trees and olive trees,c

yet you did not return to me.d

This is the Lord’s declaration.

10I sent plagues like those of Egypt;a

I killed your young men with the sword,b

along with your captured horses.c

I caused the stench of your camp

to fill your nostrils,d

yet you did not return to me.e

This is the Lord’s declaration.

11I overthrew some of you

as IA overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,a

and you were like a burning stick

snatched from a fire,b

yet you did not return to mec —

This is the Lord’s declaration.

12Therefore, Israel, that is what I will do to you,

and since I will do that to you,

Israel, prepare to meet your God!a

13He is here:

the one who forms the mountains,a

creates the wind,b

and reveals his thoughts to man,c

the one who makes the dawn out of darkness

and strides on the heights of the earth.d

The Lord, the God of Armies, is his name.e