Woe to Those at Ease in Zion (Luke 6:24–26)
1 Brenton Woe to them that set at nought Sion, and that trust in the mountain of Samaria: they have gathered the harvest of the heads of the nations, and they have gone in themselves. BSB BSB: Woe to those at ease in Zion and those secure on Mount Samaria, the distinguished ones of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel comes.
2 Brenton O house of Israel, pass by all of you , and see; and pass by thence to Ematrabba; and thence descend to Geth of the Philistines, the chief of all these kingdoms, see if their coasts are greater than your coasts. BSB BSB: Cross over to Calneh and see; go from there to the great Hamath; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are you better than these kingdoms? Is their territory larger than yours?
3 Brenton Ye who are approaching the evil day, who are drawing near and adopting false sabbaths; BSB BSB: You dismiss the day of calamity and bring near a reign of violence.
5 Brenton who excel in the sound of musical instruments; they have regarded them as abiding, not as fleeting pleasures ; BSB BSB: You improvise songs on the harp like David and invent your own musical instruments.
6 Brenton who drink strained wine, and anoint themselves with the best ointment: and have suffered nothing on occasion of the calamity of Joseph. BSB BSB: You drink wine by the bowlful and anoint yourselves with the finest oils, but you fail to grieve over the ruin of Joseph.
7 Brenton Therefore now shall they depart into captivity from the dominion of princes, and the neighing of horses shall be cut off from Ephraim. BSB BSB: Therefore, you will now go into exile as the first of the captives, and your feasting and lounging will come to an end.
The Pride of Israel 8 Brenton For the Lord has sworn by himself, saying , Because I abhor all the pride of Jacob, I do also hate his countries, and I will cut off his city with all who inhabit it. BSB BSB: The Lord GOD has sworn by Himself—the LORD, the God of Hosts, has declared: “I abhor Jacob’s pride and detest his citadels, so I will deliver up the city and everything in it.”
9 Brenton And it shall come to pass, if there be ten men left in one house, that they shall die. BSB BSB: And if there are ten men left in one house, they too will die.
10 Brenton But a remnant shall be left behind, and their relations shall take them, and shall strenuously endeavour to carry forth their bones from the house: and one shall say to the heads of the house, Is there yet any one else with thee? And he shall say, No one else. And the other shall say, Be silent, that thou name not the name of the Lord. BSB BSB: And when the relative who is to burn the bodies picks them up to remove them from the house, he will call to one inside, “Is anyone else with you?” “None,” that person will answer. “Silence,” the relative will retort, “for the name of the LORD must not be invoked.”
11 Brenton For, behold, the Lord commands, and he will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with rents. BSB BSB: For the LORD gives a command: “The great house will be smashed to pieces, and the small house to rubble.”
12 Brenton Will horses run upon rocks? will they refrain from neighing at mares? for ye have turned judgment into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness: BSB BSB: “Do horses gallop on the cliffs? Does one plow the sea with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—
13 Brenton ye who rejoice at vanity, who say, Have we not possessed horns by our own strength? BSB BSB: you who rejoice in Lo-debar and say, ‘Did we not take Karnaim by our own strength?’
14 Brenton For behold, O house of Israel, I will raise up against you a nation, saith the Lord of hosts; and they shall afflict you so that ye shall not enter into Æmath, and as it were from the river of the wilderness. BSB BSB: For behold, I will raise up a nation against you, O house of Israel,” declares the LORD, the God of Hosts, “and they will oppress you from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of the Arabah.”