Yahweh’s Case Against His People

1[†]Listen now to what Yahweh is saying,

“Arise, plead your case [†]before the mountains,

And let the hills [†]listen to your voice.

2[†]Listen, you mountains, to the case of Yahweh,

And you enduring foundations of the earth,

Because Yahweh has a case against His people;

Even with Israel He will reprove.

3My people, what have I done to you,

And how have I wearied you? Answer Me.

4Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt

And ransomed you from the house of slavery,

And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

5My people, remember now

What Balak king of Moab counseled

And what Balaam son of Beor answered him,

And from Shittim to Gilgal,

So [†]that you might know the righteous acts of Yahweh.”

What Yahweh Requires

6With what shall I come before Yahweh

And bow myself before the God on high?

Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings,

With yearling calves?

7Is Yahweh pleased with thousands of rams,

With ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8He has told you, O man, what is good;

And what does Yahweh require of you

But to do justice, to love lovingkindness,

And to walk [†]humbly with your God?

9The 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?

10Is there yet a man in the wicked house,

Along with treasures of wickedness,

And a [†]short measure which is cursed?

11Can I purify wicked scales

And a bag of deceptive weights?

12For the rich men of [†]the city are full of violence,

And her inhabitants speak lies,

And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

13So also I will make you sick, striking you down,

Desolating you because of your sins.

14You will eat, but you will not be satisfied,

And your [†]vileness will be in your midst.

And you will try to remove something for safekeeping,

But you will not cause anything to escape,

And that which you do have escape, I will give to the sword.

15You will sow but you will not reap.

You will tread the olive but will not anoint yourself with oil;

And the grapes, but you will not drink wine.

16The statutes of Omri

And all the works of the house of Ahab are kept;

And in their counsels you walk.

Therefore I will give you up as an object of horror

And [†]your inhabitants as an object of hissing,

And you will bear the reproach of My people.”