The Lord Will Judge Jerusalem and Judah
1Here is what
the Lord who rules over all is about to do.
The Lord will take away from Jerusalem and Judah
supplies and help alike.
He will take away all the supplies of food and water.
2He’ll take away heroes and soldiers.
He’ll take away judges and prophets.
He’ll take away fortune tellers and elders.
3He’ll take away captains of groups of 50 men.
He’ll take away government leaders.
He’ll take away advisers, skilled workers
and those who are clever at doing evil magic.
4The Lord will make mere youths their leaders.
Children will rule over them.
5People will treat one another badly.
They will fight against one another.
They will fight against their neighbors.
Young people will attack old people.
Ordinary people will attack those who are more important.
6A man will grab one of his brothers
in his father’s house. He will say,
“You have a coat. So you be our leader.
Take charge of all these broken-down buildings!”
7But at that time the brother will cry out,
“I can’t help you.
I don’t have any food or clothing in my house.
Don’t make me the leader of these people.”
8Jerusalem is about to fall.
And so is Judah.
They say and do things against the Lord.
They dare to disobey him to his very face.
9The look on their faces is a witness against them.
They show off their sin, just as the people of Sodom did.
They don’t even try to hide it.
How terrible it will be for them!
They have brought trouble on themselves.
10Tell those who do what is right that things will go well with them.
They will enjoy the results of the good things they’ve done.
11But how terrible it will be for those who do what is evil!
Trouble is about to fall on them.
They will be paid back for the evil things they’ve done.
12Those who are young treat my people badly.
Women rule over them.
My people, your leaders have taken you down the wrong path.
They have turned you away from the right path.
13The Lord takes his place in court.
He stands up to judge the people.
14He judges the elders and leaders of his people.
He says to them,
“My people are like a vineyard.
You have destroyed them.
The things you have taken from poor people are in your houses.
15What do you mean by crushing my people?
Why are you grinding the faces of the poor into the dirt?”
announces the Lord. He is the Lord who rules over all.
16The Lord continues,
“The women in Zion are very proud.
They walk along with their noses in the air.
They tease men with their eyes.
They sway their hips as they walk along.
Little chains jingle on their ankles.
17So I will put sores on the heads of Zion’s women.
And I will remove the hair from their heads.”
18At that time the Lord will take away the beautiful things they wear. He will take away their decorations, headbands and moon-shaped necklaces. 19He’ll take away their earrings, bracelets and veils. 20He’ll remove their headdresses, anklets and belts. He’ll take away their perfume bottles and charms. 21He’ll remove the rings they wear on their fingers and in their noses. 22He’ll take away their fine robes and their capes and coats. He’ll take away their purses 23and mirrors. And he’ll take away their linen clothes, turbans and shawls.
24Instead of smelling sweet,
the women will smell bad.
Instead of wearing belts,
they will wear ropes.
Instead of having beautiful hair,
they won’t have any hair at all.
Instead of wearing fine clothes,
they’ll wear rough clothes to show how sad they are.
Instead of being beautiful,
on their bodies they’ll have the marks of their owners.
25Jerusalem, your men will be killed by swords.
Your soldiers will die in battle.
26The city of Zion will be very sad.
Like a widow, she will lose everything.
She will sit on the ground and mourn.
1For, behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff, the whole stay of bread, and the whole stay of water, 2The mighty man, and the man of war, the judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, 3The captain of fifty, and the honourable man, and the counsellor, and the cunning artificer, and the eloquent orator.3.3 the honourable…: Heb. a man eminent in countenance3.3 eloquent…: or, skilful of speech 4And I will give children to be their princes, and babes shall rule over them. 5And the people shall be oppressed, every one by another, and every one by his neighbour: the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient, and the base against the honourable. 6When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father, saying, Thou hast clothing, be thou our ruler, and let this ruin be under thy hand: 7In that day shall he swear, saying, I will not be an healer; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing: make me not a ruler of the people.3.7 swear: Heb. lift up the hand3.7 healer: Heb. binder up 8For Jerusalem is ruined, and Judah is fallen: because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD, to provoke the eyes of his glory.
9¶ The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. 10Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. 11Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.3.11 given…: Heb. done to him
12¶ As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, they which lead thee cause thee to err, and destroy the way of thy paths.3.12 lead…: or, call thee blessed3.12 destroy: Heb. swallow up 13The LORD standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. 14The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people, and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses.3.14 eaten: or, burnt 15What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord GOD of hosts.
16¶ Moreover the LORD saith, Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes, walking and mincing as they go, and making a tinkling with their feet:3.16 wanton…: Heb. deceiving with their eyes3.16 mincing: or, tripping nicely 17Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will discover their secret parts.3.17 discover: Heb. make naked 18In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon,3.18 cauls: or, networks 19The chains, and the bracelets, and the mufflers,3.19 chains: or, sweet balls3.19 mufflers: or, spangled ornaments 20The bonnets, and the ornaments of the legs, and the headbands, and the tablets, and the earrings,3.20 tablets: Heb. houses of the soul 21The rings, and nose jewels, 22The changeable suits of apparel, and the mantles, and the wimples, and the crisping pins, 23The glasses, and the fine linen, and the hoods, and the vails. 24And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink; and instead of a girdle a rent; and instead of well set hair baldness; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth; and burning instead of beauty. 25Thy men shall fall by the sword, and thy mighty in the war.3.25 mighty: Heb. might 26And her gates shall lament and mourn; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground.3.26 desolate: or, emptied: Heb. cleansed
