Study Desk

Hear now what the LORD is saying, "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear your voice.

Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

"Listen, you mountains, to the indictment by the LORD, And you enduring foundations of the earth, Because the LORD has a case against His people; And He will dispute with Israel.

Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord 's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.

"My people, what have I done to you, And how have I wearied you? Answer Me.

O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.

"Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt, I redeemed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

"My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab planned And what Balaam son of Beor answered him, And what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, So that you might know the righteous acts of the LORD."

O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord .

With what shall I come to the LORD And bow myself before the God on high? Shall I come to Him with burnt offerings, With yearling calves?

Wherewith shall I come before the Lord , and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

Does the LORD take pleasure in thousands of rams, In ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I give Him my firstborn for my wrongdoings, The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

He has told you, mortal one, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

The voice of the LORD will call to the city— And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name: "Hear, you tribe. Who has designated its time?

The Lord 's voice crieth unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it.

"Is there still a person in the wicked house, Along with treasures of wickedness, And a short measure that is cursed?

Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, and the scant measure that is abominable?

"Can I justify dishonest balances, And a bag of fraudulent weights?

Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights?

"For the rich people of the city are full of violence, Her residents speak lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

For the rich men thereof are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

"So also I will make you sick, striking you down, Making you desolate because of your sins.

Therefore also will I make thee sick in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

"You will eat, but you will not be satisfied, And your filth will be in your midst. You will try to remove valuables for safekeeping, But you will not save it all, And what you do save I will turn over to the sword.

Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take hold, but shalt not deliver; and that which thou deliverest will I give up to the sword.

"You will sow but you will not harvest. You will tread the olive press but will not anoint yourself with oil; And tread out sweet wine, but you will not drink any wine.

Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink wine.

"The statutes of Omri And every work of the house of Ahab are maintained, And you walk by their plans. Therefore I will give you up for destruction, And your inhabitants for derision, And you will suffer the taunting of My people."

For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.