1Hear this word which I take up for you as a dirge, O house of Israel. 2She has fallen, she will not rise again— 3For thus says the Lord GOD, 4For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, 5“But do not resort to Bethel, 6“Seek the LORD that you may live, 7For those who turn justice into wormwood 8He who made the Pleiades and Orion 9It is He who flashes forth with destruction upon the strong, 10They hate him who reproves in the gate, 11Therefore, because you impose heavy rent on the poor 12For I know your transgressions are many and your sins are great, 13Therefore, at such a time the prudent person keeps silent, for it is an evil time. 14Seek good and not evil, that you may live; 15Hate evil, love good, 16Therefore, thus says the LORD God of hosts, the Lord, 17“And in all the vineyards there is wailing, 18Alas, you who are longing for the day of the LORD, 19As when a man flees from a lion, 20Will not the day of the LORD be darkness instead of light, 21“I hate, I reject your festivals, 22“Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings, 23“Take away from Me the noise of your songs; 24“But let justice roll down like waters 25“Did you present Me with sacrifices and grain offerings in the wilderness for forty years, O house of Israel? 26“You also carried along Sikkuth your king and Kiyyun, your images, the star of your gods which you made for yourselves. 27“Therefore, I will make you go into exile beyond Damascus,” says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org Bible Hub |