| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1Hear now what the LORD says: “Arise, plead your case before the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice. | 1Listen to what the LORD says: "Get up! Defend yourself before the mountains! Present your case before the hills!" |
| 2Hear, O mountains, the LORD’s indictment, you enduring foundations of the earth. For the LORD has a case against His people, and He will argue it against Israel: | 2Hear the LORD's accusation, you mountains, you enduring foundations of the earth! For the LORD has a case against his people; he has a dispute with Israel! |
| 3‘My people, what have I done to you? Testify against Me how I have wearied you! | 3"My people, how have I wronged you? How have I wearied you? Answer me! |
| 4For I brought you up from the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery. I sent Moses before you, as well as Aaron and Miriam. | 4In fact, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I delivered you from that place of slavery. I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you. |
| 5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’ ” | 5My people, recall how King Balak of Moab planned to harm you, how Balaam son of Beor responded to him. Recall how you journeyed from Shittim to Gilgal, so you might acknowledge that the LORD has treated you fairly." |
| 6With what shall I come before the LORD when I bow before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? | 6With what should I enter the LORD's presence? With what should I bow before the sovereign God? Should I enter his presence with burnt offerings, with year-old calves? |
| 7Would the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I present my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? | 7Will the LORD accept a thousand rams, or ten thousand streams of olive oil? Should I give him my firstborn child as payment for my rebellion, my offspring--my own flesh and blood--for my sin? |
| 8He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? | 8He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD really wants from you: He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God. |
| 9The voice of the LORD calls out to the city (and it is sound wisdom to fear Your name): “Heed the rod and the One who ordained it. | 9Listen! The LORD is calling to the city! It is wise to respect your authority, O LORD! Listen, O nation, and those assembled in the city! |
| 10Can I forget any longer, O house of the wicked, the treasures of wickedness and the short ephah, which is accursed? | 10"I will not overlook, O sinful house, the dishonest gain you have hoarded away, or the smaller-than-standard measure I hate so much. |
| 11Can I excuse dishonest scales or bags of false weights? | 11I do not condone the use of rigged scales, or a bag of deceptive weights. |
| 12For the wealthy of the city are full of violence, and its residents speak lies; their tongues are deceitful in their mouths. | 12The city's rich men think nothing of resorting to violence; her inhabitants lie, their tongues speak deceptive words. |
| 13Therefore I am striking you severely, to ruin you because of your sins. | 13I will strike you brutally and destroy you because of your sin. |
| 14You will eat but not be satisfied, and your hunger will remain with you. What you acquire, you will not preserve; and what you save, I will give to the sword. | 14You will eat, but not be satisfied. Even if you have the strength to overtake some prey, you will not be able to carry it away; if you do happen to carry away something, I will deliver it over to the sword. |
| 15You will sow but not reap; you will press olives but not anoint yourselves with oil; you will tread grapes but not drink the wine. | 15You will plant crops, but will not harvest them; you will squeeze oil from the olives, but you will have no oil to rub on your bodies; you will squeeze juice from the grapes, but you will have no wine to drink. |
| 16You have kept the statutes of Omri and all the practices of Ahab’s house; you have followed their counsel. Therefore I will make you a desolation, and your inhabitants an object of contempt; you will bear the scorn of the nations.” | 16You implement the regulations of Omri, and all the practices of Ahab's dynasty; you follow their policies. Therefore I will make you an appalling sight, the city's inhabitants will be taunted derisively, and nations will mock all of you." |
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