A Lamentation against Israel

1Hear this word that I take up against you⁺ as a lamentation, O house of Israel:

2“She has fallen; she will not again rise,

the virgin of Israel—

for she lies forsaken on her land,

with no one to raise her up.”

3For thus says the Lord YHWH:

“The city marching out as a thousand

will have left a hundred,

and the one marching out as a hundred

will have left ten of the house of Israel.”

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

4For thus says YHWH to the house of Israel:

“Seek Me and live!

5And do not seek Bethel,

and do not come to Gilgal,

and do not cross over to Beersheba;

for Gilgal will surely go into exile,

and Bethel will come to Aven!†

6Seek YHWH and live,

lest He break out like fire in the house of Joseph,

and devour it,

with no one to quench it in Bethel.

7You who are turning justice into wormwood

and laying to rest righteousness in the earth—

8the One making the Pleiades and Orion,

and the One turning into the morning the shadow of death,

and making the day dark as night,

the One calling to the waters of the sea,

and pouring them over the face of the earth—

YHWH is His name—

9the One flashing destruction upon the strong,

so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

10They hate the one reproving in the gate,

and the one speaking virtuously, they abhor.

11Therefore, because of your⁺ treading down upon the poor,

and the tribute of grain you⁺ take from him—

you⁺ have built houses of hewn stone,

and you⁺ will not dwell in them;

you⁺ have planted vineyards of delight,

and you⁺ will not drink their wine.

12Indeed, I know how many are your⁺ transgressions

and how mighty your⁺ sins—

you afflicting the righteous, taking bribes,

and stretching aside the poor at the gate.

13Therefore, the one acting prudently at that time will keep silent,

for it is an evil time.

14Seek good and not evil,

so that you⁺ may live;

and it will come to pass that YHWH,

God of Hosts, is with you⁺, as you⁺ have spoken.

15Hate evil and love good,

and establish justice in the gate!

Perhaps YHWH God of Hosts

will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.”

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

16Therefore, thus says YHWH God of Hosts, the Lord:

“In all the public squares will be wailing,

and in all the streets they will say, ‘Alas! Alas!’

And they will call the farmer to mourning,

and those knowing lamentation to wailing,

17and in all the vineyards wailing,

for I will pass through you!”

Says YHWH.

18Woe to those desiring the day of YHWH,

for what is this to you⁺—the day of YHWH?

It is darkness and not light,

19as when a man flees from a lion

and a bear meets him,

or he comes into the house and leans his hand on the wall,

and a snake bites him.

20Is not the day of YHWH

darkness and not light,

even gloom with no brightness in it?

21“I hate—I despise—your⁺ feast s,

and I do not savor in your⁺ solemn assemblies!

22Even though burnt offerings and grain offerings you⁺ send up to Me,

l will not accept them,

and the peace offering of your⁺ fatlings

I will not regard.

23Turn aside from Me the noise of your songs,

and the music of your harps I will not hear.

24And let justice roll like the waters,

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

25Sacrifices and offerings did you⁺ bring near to Me

in the wilderness those forty years, O house of Israel?

26You⁺ have taken along Sikkuth your⁺ king

and and Kaiwan your⁺ idols,

the star of your⁺ gods† that you⁺ have made for yourselves.

27And I will send you⁺ into exile beyond Damascus,”†

says YHWH—the God of Hosts is His name!