Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem
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For behold, the 1Lord GOD of hosts is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and supply,a all 2support of bread, and all support of water;
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3the mighty man and the soldier, the judge and the prophet, the diviner and the elder,
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the captain of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor and the skillful magician and the expert in charms.
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5And the people will oppress one another, every one his fellow and every one his neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the despised to the honorable.
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For 6a man will take hold of his brother in the house of his father, saying: "You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule";
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in that day he will speak out, saying: "I will not be a 7healer;c in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; you shall not make me leader of the people."
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For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because their 8speech and their deeds are against the LORD, 9defying his glorious presence.d
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For the look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin 10like Sodom; they do not hide it. Woe to them! 11For they have brought evil on themselves.
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12Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them, 13for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
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14Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.
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My people--15infants are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, 16your guides mislead you and they have swallowed upe the course of your paths.
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The LORD 17has taken his place to contend; he stands to judge peoples.
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The LORD will enter into judgment with the 18elders and princes of his people: "It is you who 19have devouredf the vineyard, 20the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
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What do you mean by 21crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor?" declares the Lord GOD of hosts.
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The LORD said: 22Because 23the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, 24tinkling with their feet,
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therefore the Lord 25will strike with a scab the heads of 26the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will lay bare their secret parts.
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In that day the Lord will take away 27the finery of the anklets, the 28headbands, and the 29crescents;
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the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves;
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the 30headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets;
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the signet rings and 31nose rings;
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the 32festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags;
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the mirrors, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.
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Instead of 33perfume there will be rottenness; and instead of a 34belt, a rope; and instead of 35well-set hair, 36baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a 37skirt of sackcloth; and 38branding instead of beauty.
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Your men shall fall by the sword and your mighty men in battle.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)