A Lamentation against Israel

1Hear ye this word which I lift up to you, a lamentation, O house of Israel.

2The virgin of Israel fell; she shall not add to rise: she was cast out upon her land; none raising her up.

3For thus said the Lord Jehovah: The city going out a thousand shall leave an hundred, and going out a hundred shall leave ten to the house of Israel.

A Call to Repentance
(Joel 1:13–20; Zephaniah 2:1–3; Luke 13:1–5)

4For thus said Jehovah to the house of Israel: Seek ye me and live:

5And ye shall not seek the house of God, and to Gilgal ye shall not go: and to the well of the oath ye shall not pass over: for Gilgal being taken captive shall be carried away captive, and the house of God shall be for nothing.

6Seek ye Jehovah and live, lest he shall break through the house of Joseph as fire, and devour, and none quenching to the house of God.

7Turning judgment to wormwood and they put down justice in the earth.

8He made the seven stars and Orion, and he turned the shadow of death to the morning, and he darkened the day to night: calling to the water of the sea, and he will pour them out upon the face of the earth: Jehovah his name:

9Causing desolation to shine forth upon the strong one and desolation shall come against the fortress.

10They hated him setting right in the gate, and they will abhor the perfect word.

11For this, because of your treading upon the poor one, and ye will take away the liftings up of wheat from him: ye built houses of hewn stone, and ye shall not dwell in them; ye planted vineyards of desire and ye shall not drink their wine.

12For I knew your many transgressions, and your strong sins: pressing upon the just, taking a ransom, and they turned away the needy in the gate.

13For this the prudent one shall be silent in that time, for it is an evil time.

14Seek good and not evil, so that ye shall live: and so Jehovah God of armies shall be with you as ye said.

15Hate evil and love good, and set ye judgment in the gate: perhaps Jehovah God of armies will compassionate the remnant of Joseph.

Woe to Rebellious Israel
(Acts 7:39–43)

16For this, thus said Jehovah God of armies, the Lord: In all your broad places, wailing; and in all the streets they shall say, Wo! wo! and they called to the husbandman to mourning, and wailing to all knowing lamentation.

17And in all vineyards, wailing: for I will pass through in the midst of thee, said Jehovah.

18Wo! to you longing for the day of Jehovah; for what this to you? The day of Jehovah this is darkness and not light.

19According as a man will flee from the face of the lion and the bear struck upon him, and he came into the house and leaned his hand upon the wall, and the serpent bit him.

20Shall not the day of Jehovah be darkness and not light? and dark and no shining to it?

21I hated, I rejected your festivals, and I will not smell in your assemblies.

22For if ye shall bring up to me burnt-offerings, and your gifts, I will not delight; and I will not look upon the peace-offerings of your fatlings.

23Remove from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the music of thy lyres.

24Judgment shall roll as the waters, and justice as a torrent of strength.

25Did ye bring near to me sacrifices and gifts in the desert forty years, O house of Israel? 26Ye lifted up the tent of your king and the statue of your images, the star of your God which he made for you. 27And I caused you to be carried away captive farther off than Damascus, said Jehovah, God of armies his name.