God Will Remove the Leaders
1 For behold, the Lord 3:1 Heb YHWH, usually rendered LordGod of armies is going to remove from Jerusalem and Judah
Both supply and support, the entire supply of bread
And the entire supply of water;
2 The mighty man and the warrior,
The judge and the prophet,
The diviner and the elder,
3 The captain of fifty and the esteemed person,
The counselor and the expert artisan,
And the skillful enchanter.
4 And I will make mere boys their leaders,
And 3:4 Or arbitrary power will rulemischievous children will rule over them,
5 And the people will be oppressed,
Each one by another, and each one by his neighbor;
The youth will assault the elder,
And the contemptible person will assault the one honored.
6 When a man lays hold of his brother in his father’s house, saying,
"You have a cloak, you shall be our ruler!
And these ruins will be under your 3:6 Lit handauthority,"
7 He will 3:7 Lit lift up his voiceprotest on that day, saying,
"I will not be your3:7 Lit binder of woundshealer,
For in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;
You should not appoint me ruler of the people."
8 For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen,
Because their 3:8 Lit tonguespeech and their actions are against the Lord,
To rebel against 3:8 Lit the eyes of His gloryHis glorious presence.
9 3:9 Or Their partiality testifies The expression of their faces testifies against them,
And they 3:9 Lit proclaimdisplay their sin like Sodom;
They do not even conceal it.
Woe to 3:9 Lit their soulthem!
For they have done evil to themselves.
10 Say to the righteous that it will go well for them,
For they will eat the fruit of their actions.
11 Woe to the wicked! It will go badly for him,
For 3:11 Lit the accomplishment of his handswhat he deserves will be done to him.
12 My people! Their oppressors treat them violently,
And women rule over them.
My people! Those who guide you lead you astray
And confuse the direction of your paths.
God Will Judge
13 The Lord arises to contend,
And stands to judge the people.
14 The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and leaders of His people,
"It is you who have 3:14 Lit grazed overdevoured the vineyard;
The goods stolen from the poor are in your houses.
15 "What do you mean by crushing My people
And 3:15 Lit grinding the face ofoppressing the face of the poor?"
Declares the Lord 3:15 Heb YHWH, usually rendered LordGod of armies.
Judah’s Women Denounced
16 Moreover, the Lord said, "Because the daughters of Zion are haughty
And walk with 3:16 Lit outstretched necksheads held high and seductive eyes,
And go along with mincing steps
And jingle the anklets on their feet,
17 The Lord will afflict the scalp of the daughters of Zion with scabs,
And the Lord will make their foreheads bare."
18 On that day the Lord will take away the beauty of their anklets, headbands, crescent ornaments, 19 dangling earrings, bracelets, veils, 20 headdresses, ankle chains, sashes, perfume boxes, amulets, 21 3:21 Or signet ringsfinger rings, nose rings, 22 festive robes, outer garments, shawls, purses, 23 papyrus garments, undergarments, headbands, and veils.
24 Now it will come about that instead of balsam oil there will be a stench;
Instead of a belt, a rope;
Instead of well-set hair, a plucked-out scalp;
Instead of fine clothes, a robe of sackcloth;
And branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men will fall by the sword
And your 3:25 Lit strengthmighty ones in battle.
26 And her 3:26 Lit entrancesgates will lament and mourn,
And she will sit deserted on the ground.