| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1Look, the sovereign LORD who commands armies is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah every source of security, including all the food and water, | 1"Note this! The Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies is taking away from Jerusalem and Judah everything that your society needs— all food supplies and all water supplies, |
| 2the mighty men and warriors, judges and prophets, omen readers and leaders, | 2the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the fortune-teller and the elder, |
| 3captains of groups of fifty, the respected citizens, advisers and those skilled in magical arts, and those who know incantations. | 3the commander of fifty and the man of rank, and the counselor, the expert magician, and the medium. |
| 4The LORD says, "I will make youths their officials; malicious young men will rule over them. | 4"I will make youths their princes, and infants will rule over them. |
| 5The people will treat each other harshly; men will oppose each other; neighbors will fight. Youths will proudly defy the elderly and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected. | 5People will oppress one another— It will be man against man and neighbor against neighbor. The young will be disrespectful to the old, and the worthless to the honorable. |
| 6Indeed, a man will grab his brother right in his father's house and say, 'You own a coat--you be our leader! This heap of ruins will be under your control.' | 6"For a man will grab his brother in his own father's house, and say, 'You have a cloak, so you be our leader, and this heap of ruins will be under your rule!' |
| 7At that time the brother will shout, 'I am no doctor, I have no food or coat in my house; don't make me a leader of the people!'" | 7"But at that time, he'll protest! He'll say, 'I won't be your healer. I have neither food nor clothing in my house! You're not going to make me a leader of the people!' |
| 8Jerusalem certainly stumbles, Judah falls, for their words and their actions offend the LORD; they rebel against his royal authority. | 8"For Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because what they say and do opposes the LORD; they keep defying him. |
| 9The look on their faces testifies to their guilt; like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin. Too bad for them! For they bring disaster on themselves. | 9 "The expressions on their faces give them away. They parade their sin around like Sodom; they don't even try to hide it. How horrible it will be for them, because they have brought disaster on themselves!" |
| 10Tell the innocent it will go well with them, for they will be rewarded for what they have done. | 10"Tell the righteous that things will go well, because they will enjoy the fruit of their actions." |
| 11Too bad for the wicked sinners! For they will get exactly what they deserve. | 11"How terrible it will be for the wicked! Disaster is headed their way, because what they did with their hand will be repaid to them. |
| 12Oppressors treat my people cruelly; creditors rule over them. My people's leaders mislead them; they give you confusing directions. | 12"As for my people, children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, your leaders are misleading you— they're giving you confusing directions." |
| 13The LORD takes his position to judge; he stands up to pass sentence on his people. | 13The LORD is taking his place to argue his case; he's standing up to judge the people. |
| 14The LORD comes to pronounce judgment on the leaders of his people and their officials. He says, "It is you who have ruined the vineyard! You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor. | 14The LORD will go to court to oppose the elders and princes of his people: "You're the ones who have been devouring the vineyard, the plunder of the poor is in your own houses! |
| 15Why do you crush my people and grind the faces of the poor?" The sovereign LORD who commands armies has spoken. | 15How dare you crush my people as you grind down the face of the poor?" declares the Lord GOD of the Heavenly Armies. |
| 16The LORD says, "The women of Zion are proud. They walk with their heads high and flirt with their eyes. They skip along and the jewelry on their ankles jingles. | 16The LORD also says: "Because Zion's women are so haughty, and walk with outstretched necks, flirting with their eyes, prancing along as they walk, and making tinkling noises with their ankle bracelets, |
| 17So the sovereign master will afflict the foreheads of Zion's women with skin diseases, the LORD will make the front of their heads bald." | 17therefore the LORD will afflict sores on the heads of Zion's women, and the LORD will expose their private parts. |
| 18At that time the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments, | 18"At that time, the LORD will take away the finery of the ankle bracelets, headbands, crescents, |
| 19earrings, bracelets, veils, | 19pendants, bracelets, veils, |
| 20headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, amulets, | 20headdresses, armlets, sashes, perfume boxes, charms, |
| 21rings, nose rings, | 21signet rings, nose rings, |
| 22festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses, | 22fine robes, capes, purses, |
| 23garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns. | 23mirrors, linen garments, tiaras, and veils. |
| 24A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices, a rope will replace a belt, baldness will replace braided locks of hair, a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe, and a prisoner's brand will replace beauty. | 24"And it will come about that instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of well-set hair, baldness; instead of a fine robe, sackcloth; and instead of beauty, shame. |
| 25Your men will fall by the sword, your strong men will die in battle. | 25Your men will die violently, while your forces fall in battle |
| 26Her gates will mourn and lament; deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground. | 26and her gates lament and mourn. Ravaged, she will sit on the ground." |
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