Punishment Brings No Repentance

1Hear this word,

you⁺ cows of Bashan (fruitful) on Mount Samaria (watch mountain),

you⁺ women who oppress the poor

and crush the needy,

who say to your⁺ husbands,

“Bring us more to drink.”

2The Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH} has sworn by His holiness:

“Behold, the days are coming

when you⁺ will be taken away with hooks,

and your⁺ posterity with fishhooks.

3You⁺ will go out through broken walls,

each one straight ahead of her,

and you⁺ will be cast out toward Harmon (possibly Mount Hermon),a”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

4“Go to Bethel (house of God) and transgress;

rebel even more at Gilgal (a wheel)!

Bring your⁺ sacrifices every morning,

your⁺ tithes every three days (years).b

5Offer leavened bread as a thank offering,

and loudly proclaim your⁺ freewill offerings.

For that is what you⁺ children of Israel (he wrestles with God) love to do,”

declares the Lord GOD {Adonai YHWH}.

6“I afflicted all your⁺ cities with cleanness of teeth (with empty stomachs)c

and all your⁺ towns with lack of bread,

yet you⁺ did not return to Me,”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

7“I also withheld the rain from you⁺

when the harvest was three months away.

I sent rain on one city

but withheld it from another.

One field received rain;

another without rain withered.

8People staggered from city to city

for water to drink,

but they were not satisfied;

yet you⁺ did not return to Me,”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

9“I struck you⁺ with blight and mildew

in your⁺ growing gardens and vineyards;

the locust devoured your⁺ fig and olive trees,

yet you⁺ did not return to Me,”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

10“I sent plagues among you⁺

like those of Egypt (land of bondage);

I killed your⁺ young men with the sword,

along with your⁺ captured horses.

I filled your⁺ nostrils with the stench of your⁺ camp,

yet you⁺ did not return to Me,”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

11“Some of you I overthrew

as I overthrew Sodom (burning) and Gomorrah (submersion),

and you⁺ were like a firebrand (a burning stick)d snatched from a blaze,

yet you⁺ did not return to Me,”

declares the LORD {YHWH}.

12“Therefore, that is what I will do

to you, O Israel (he wrestles with God),

and since I will do this to you,

prepare to meet your God {Eloheka}, O Israel!

13For behold, He who forms the mountains,

who creates the wind {ruach}

and reveals His thoughts to man,

who turns the dawn to darkness

and strides on the heights of the earth—

the LORD, the God {YHWH Elohe} of Hosts, is His name.”