The Justice of God’s Judgment

1Run you^p to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if you^p can find a man, if there be any that executes judgment, that seeks the truth; and I will pardon it.

2And though they say, The Lord lives; surely they swear falsely.

3O Lord, are not Your eyes upon the truth? You have stricken them, but they have not grieved; You have consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.

4Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God.

5I will get me to the great men, and will speak to them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.   destroyed the bondage

6Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goes out from there shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.   destroy, plunder, loot

7How shall I pardon you for this? your children have forsaken Me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.

8They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbor’s wife.

9Shall I not visit for these things? says the Lord: and shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?   judge

10Go you^p up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the Lord’s.

11For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against Me, says the Lord.

12They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not He; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:

13And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done to them.

14Wherefore thus says the Lord God of hosts, Because you^p speak this word, behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.   Elohim^p.f. Tsebaoth

15Lo, I will bring a nation upon you^p from far, O house of Israel, says the Lord: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you know not, neither understand what they say.

16Their quiver is as an open sepulcher, they are all mighty men.   tomb

17And they shall eat up your harvest, and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat: they shall eat up your flocks and your herds: they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees: they shall impoverish your fenced cities, wherein you trusted, with the sword.   fortified, walled

18Nevertheless in those days, says the Lord, I will not make a full end with you^p.

19And it shall come to pass, when you^p shall say, Why does the Lord our God all these things to us? then shall you answer them, Like as you^p have forsaken Me, and served strange gods in your^p land, so shall you^p serve strangers in a land that is not yours^p.   foreign

20Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,   announce

21Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:   LUKE 8:10

22Fear you^p not me? says the Lord: will you^p not tremble at My presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?

23But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.

24Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that gives rain, both the former and the latter, in His season: He reserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.   revere

25Your^p iniquities have turned away these things, and your^p sins have withheld good things from you^p.

26For among My people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that sets snares; they set a trap, they catch men.   lures

27As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxed rich.   grew

28They are waxed fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.   excel in

29Shall I not visit for these things? says the Lord: shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

30A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;   shocking

31The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and My people love to have it so: and what will you^p do in the end thereof?