1Hear this word, you [a]cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria,

Who exploit the poor, who oppress the needy,

[b]And say to their [c]husbands, “Bring now, that we may drink!”

2The Lord [d]GOD has sworn by His holiness,

“For behold, the days are coming upon you

When [e]they will take you away with meat hooks,

And the last of you with fish hooks.

3“You will go out through holes in the walls,

One in front of the other,

And you [f]will be hurled to Harmon,” declares the LORD.

4“Enter Bethel and do wrong;

In Gilgal multiply wrongdoing!

Bring your sacrifices every morning,

Your tithes every three days.

5“[g]Offer a thanksgiving offering also from that which is leavened,

And proclaim [h]voluntary offerings, make them known.

For so you love to do, you sons of Israel,”

Declares the Lord GOD.

6“But I gave you also cleanness of teeth in all your cities,

And lack of bread in all your places;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

7“Furthermore, I withheld the rain from you

While there were still three months until harvest.

Then I would send rain on one city,

But on another city I would not send rain;

One part would be rained on,

While the part not rained on would dry up.

8“So the people of two or three cities would stagger to another city to drink water,

But would not be satisfied;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

9“I struck you with scorching wind and mildew;

The caterpillar was devouring

Your many gardens and vineyards, fig trees and olive trees;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

10“I sent a plague among you [i]as in Egypt;

I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses,

And I made the stench of your camp rise up in your nostrils;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

11“I overthrew you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,

And you were like a log snatched from a fire;

Yet you have not returned to Me,” declares the LORD.

12“Therefore so I will do to you, Israel;

Because I will do this to you,

Prepare to meet your God, Israel.”

13For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind,

And declares to a person what are His thoughts,

He who makes dawn into darkness

And treads on the high places of the earth,

The LORD God of armies is His name.