1 ARST Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, is about to take away from Jerusalem and other places in Judah everything that you depend on— all food and water. BSB BSB: For behold, the Lord GOD of Hosts is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah both supply and support: the whole supply of food and water,
2 ARST He will take away heroes and other soldiers, judges and prophets, people who do rituals to find out what will happen in the future and the elders, BSB BSB: the mighty man and the warrior, the judge and the prophet, the soothsayer and the elder,
3 ARST army officers and other important people, advisors, skilled craftsmen, and those who perform rituals of magic. BSB BSB: the commander of fifty and the dignitary, the counselor, the cunning magician, and the clever enchanter.
4 ARST Yahweh says,“I will appoint boys to be leaders; young children will rule. BSB BSB: “I will make mere lads their leaders, and children will rule over them.”
5 ARST People will treat each other cruelly: people will fight against their neighbors. Young people will say shameful things against older people, and vulgar people will sneer at people whom others usually honor. BSB BSB: The people will oppress one another, man against man, neighbor against neighbor; the young will rise up against the old, and the base against the honorable.
6 ARST At that time, someone will grab one of his brothers in his father’ s house and say to him,‘You still have a coat; people respect you for that. So you be our leader! You rule this city, which is now a pile of ruins.’ BSB BSB: A man will seize his brother within his father’s house: “You have a cloak—you be our leader! Take charge of this heap of rubble.”
7 ARST But his brother will reply,‘No, I cannot help you, because I do not have any extra food or clothes in this house. So do not make me your leader!’” BSB BSB: On that day he will cry aloud: “I am not a healer. I have no food or clothing in my house. Do not make me leader of the people!”
8 ARST The people in Jerusalem and the other towns in Judah have disobeyed God, because everything that the people do and say there opposes Yahweh, the powerful and glorious one, and they refuse to obey him. They rebel against him. BSB BSB: For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen because they spoke and acted against the LORD, defying His glorious presence.
9 ARST They even show on their faces that they oppose Yahweh. They are proud about their sins, like the people of Sodom were long ago; they do not try to hide their sins; they talk about them. Because of their sins, terrible things will certainly happen to them. BSB BSB: The expression on their faces testifies against them, and like Sodom they flaunt their sin; they do not conceal it. Woe to them, for they have brought disaster upon themselves.
10 ARST You people must tell the righteous people that good things will happen to them; they will enjoy the blessings that they will receive for their good deeds. BSB BSB: Tell the righteous it will be well with them, for they will enjoy the fruit of their labor.
11 ARST But terrible things will happen to wicked people; Yahweh will pay them back for the evil things that they have done. BSB BSB: Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done.
12 ARST Youths who have become leaders treat my people cruelly, and women rule over my people. My people, your leaders are misleading you; they are causing you to do all kinds of evil things. BSB BSB: Youths oppress My people, and women rule over them. O My people, your guides mislead you; they turn you from your paths.
13 ARST It is as though Yahweh had taken his place in a courtroom and were ready to accuse his people of breaking the covenant between themselves and him. BSB BSB: The LORD arises to contend; He stands to judge the people.
14 ARST He will stand up to declare why he should punish the elders and rulers of his people; he says,“The people of Israel are like a vineyard that I planted, but you leaders have made unable to bear any fruit. Your houses are full of things that you have stolen from poor people. BSB BSB: The LORD brings this charge against the elders and leaders of His people: “You have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15 ARST You should stop making my people suffer. It is as though you were pushing the faces of poor people into the ground.” That is what Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, says. BSB BSB: Why do you crush My people and grind the faces of the poor?” declares the Lord GOD of Hosts.
16 ARST Yahweh says this:“The women of Jerusalem are haughty; they walk around sticking their chins out, and flirting with men with their eyes. They walk with tiny steps with bracelets on their ankles that jingle.” BSB BSB: The LORD also says: “Because the daughters of Zion are haughty—walking with heads held high and wanton eyes, prancing and skipping as they go, jingling the bracelets on their ankles—
17 ARST So the Lord will cause sores to be on their heads, and he will cause those beautiful women in Jerusalem to become bald. BSB BSB: the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the LORD will make their foreheads bare.”
18 ARST At the time that the Lord does that, he will also cause others to take away from the women of Jerusalem all of the beautiful things they like to wear— the ornaments on their ankles and their headbands, their crescent necklaces, BSB BSB: In that day the Lord will take away their finery: their anklets and headbands and crescents;
19 ARST their earrings and bracelets and veils, BSB BSB: their pendants, bracelets, and veils;
20 ARST their scarves and ankle bracelets and sashes, their perfumes and charms. BSB BSB: their headdresses, ankle chains, and sashes; their perfume bottles and charms;
21 ARST He will cause others to remove the women’ s finger rings and nose rings, BSB BSB: their signet rings and nose rings;
22 ARST their nice robes and capes and veils and purses, BSB BSB: their festive robes, capes, cloaks, and purses;
23 ARST their mirrors and nice linen clothes, the ornaments for their heads, and the shawls. BSB BSB: and their mirrors, linen garments, tiaras, and shawls.
24 ARST Instead of smelling nice from perfume, they will stink; instead of beautiful sashes, they will have ropes around their waists. Instead of having fancy hairdos, they will be bald. Instead of fancy robes, they will wear rough sackcloth, Instead of beauty, scars of branding. BSB BSB: Instead of fragrance there will be a stench; instead of a belt, a rope; instead of styled hair, baldness; instead of fine clothing, sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame.
25 ARST Your men will die by their enemies’ swords, and your soldiers will also die in battle. BSB BSB: Your men will fall by the sword, and your warriors in battle.
26 ARST People will mourn and cry at the gates of the city. The city will be like a woman who sits on the ground because all her friends have deserted her. BSB BSB: And the gates of Zion will lament and mourn; destitute, she will sit on the ground.
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