Judah’s Rebellion (2 Chronicles 28:5–15)
2 UDB Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth, because this is what Yahweh said: "I have raised people since they were born, but they have rebelled against me. BSB BSB: Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.
3 UDB Oxen know their owners, and donkeys know who feeds them, but Israel does not know; Israel does not understand." BSB BSB: The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s manger, but Israel does not know; My people do not understand.”
4 UDB Terrible things will happen to this sinful nation, this people weighted down by their sin, these children of people who do evil things, these sons who are unjust. They have left Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel. They have turned away from him. BSB BSB: Alas, O sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a brood of evildoers, children who act corruptly! They have forsaken the LORD; they have despised the Holy One of Israel and turned their backs on Him.
5 UDB Why do you do things for which Yahweh should punish you? Why do you continue to rebel against him? You are like someone whose whole mind and heart are sick. BSB BSB: Why do you want more beatings? Why do you keep rebelling? Your head has a massive wound, and your whole heart is afflicted.
6 UDB From the bottom of the foot to the top of the head, nothing is healthy. There are open wounds, cuts, and sores that have not been cleaned or bandaged, and no one has put oil on them to heal them. BSB BSB: From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there is no soundness—only wounds and welts and festering sores neither cleansed nor bandaged nor soothed with oil.
7 UDB Enemies have ruined your country; they have burned your towns, and there is no one left. Foreigners plunder the crops in your fields while you watch; they destroy everything that they see. BSB BSB: Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you—a desolation demolished by strangers.
8 UDB The city of Jerusalem has become as small as a shepherd's hut. It is like a shelter in a vineyard; it is like a watchman's hut in a field of melons. It is a city surrounded by its enemies who are waiting to attack it. BSB BSB: And the Daughter of Zion is abandoned like a shelter in a vineyard, like a shack in a cucumber field, like a city besieged.
9 UDB If Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, had not allowed a few of his people to survive, we would have all been destroyed, like the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. BSB BSB: Unless the LORD of Hosts had left us a few survivors, we would have become like Sodom, we would have resembled Gomorrah.
Meaningless Offerings 10 UDB Listen to what Yahweh has to say to you, you rulers of Sodom! Listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah! BSB BSB: Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the instruction of our God, you people of Gomorrah!
11 UDB "What do your many sacrifices mean to me?" says Yahweh; "I do not want any more burnt offerings of rams or the fat of bulls. The blood of bulls, lambs, or goats does not make me happy. BSB BSB: “What good to Me is your multitude of sacrifices?” says the LORD. “I am full from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I take no delight in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.
12 UDB When you come to my temple to worship me, who has told you to tramp around in my courtyard while you perform all those rituals? BSB BSB: When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts?
13 UDB Stop bringing to me those offerings, because they are useless to me; I am disgusted with the incense that the priests burn! And your feasts to celebrate the new moon each month and your Sabbath days and your other festivals— I hate them because of the wicked things that you do! BSB BSB: Bring your worthless offerings no more; your incense is detestable to Me. New Moons, Sabbaths, and convocations—I cannot endure iniquity in a solemn assembly.
14 UDB I hate all of your celebrations of the new moon and the other festivals that you celebrate. They are like a heavy burden that I am tired of carrying. BSB BSB: I hate your New Moons and your appointed feasts. They have become a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them.
15 UDB So when you lift up your hands to pray to me, I will not look at you. Even if you pray to me often, I will not listen to you, because it is as though your hands are covered with the blood of people whom you have killed. BSB BSB: When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
16 UDB Wash your hearts and become clean! Get rid of your evil behavior! Stop doing things that are wrong! BSB BSB: Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
17 UDB Learn to do deeds that are good and try to cause people to do what is just. Stop people from mistreating others, and defend orphans and widows when people take them to court." BSB BSB: Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
18 UDB Yahweh says, "You need to think about what you do. Even though your sins are like scarlet red, they will be as white as snow; though your sins are like crimson red, they will be as white as sheep's wool. BSB BSB: “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.
19 UDB If you are willing to obey me, you will eat good food from the land. BSB BSB: If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.
20 UDB But if you turn away from me and rebel against me, your enemies will slaughter you." That will happen because Yahweh said it. BSB BSB: But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
The Corruption of Zion 21 UDB At one time you people of Jerusalem faithfully worshiped only Yahweh, but now you have become like prostitutes who are not faithful to any husband. The people there always acted justly and righteously, but now your city is full of murderers. BSB BSB: See how the faithful city has become a harlot! She once was full of justice; righteousness resided within her, but now only murderers!
22 UDB Your silver is no longer pure, and your wine has become mixed with water. BSB BSB: Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.
23 UDB Your leaders are rebels; they are friends of thieves. They all want to get money and make others to give them gifts in order to decide cases in court in their favor. They do not defend orphans in court, and they do not help widows to get what they should receive. BSB BSB: Your rulers are rebels, friends of thieves. They all love bribes and chasing after rewards. They do not defend the fatherless, and the plea of the widow never comes before them.
24 UDB Therefore Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, the mighty God of Israel, says, "I will get revenge against those who are against me, and avenge myself on my enemies. BSB BSB: Therefore the Lord GOD of Hosts, the Mighty One of Israel, declares: “Ah, I will be relieved of My foes and avenge Myself on My enemies.
25 UDB I will raise my fist to strike you, and I will punish you severely, as though you were silver and I needed to heat you very greatly to melt you and get rid of the impurities. BSB BSB: I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.
26 UDB After that happens, I will give you good judges like you had in the past. You will have wise counselors like you had long ago. Then people will call your city a city where people act righteously, a faithful city." BSB BSB: I will restore your judges as at first, and your counselors as at the beginning. After that you will be called the City of Righteousness, the Faithful City.”
27 UDB Because the people of Jerusalem will do what is fair, Yahweh will restore their city, and he will save those who repent because of their righteousness. BSB BSB: Zion will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness.
28 UDB But he will crush rebels and sinners, and those who forsake him will disappear. BSB BSB: But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
29 UDB "You will be ashamed because you worshiped idols under the oak trees that you thought were sacred, and you will be disgraced because you worshiped idols in the gardens that you loved so much. BSB BSB: Surely you will be ashamed of the sacred oaks in which you have delighted; you will be embarrassed by the gardens that you have chosen.
30 UDB You will be like a very large tree that has withered leaves, like a garden that has dried up because it has no water. BSB BSB: For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.
31 UDB Those among you who are very strong will become like dry wood, and the work they do will be like a spark. Both they and the evil things that they do will burn up, and no one will be able to put out the fire." BSB BSB: The strong man will become tinder and his work will be a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the flames.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.