Judah’s Rebellion (2 Chronicles 28:5–15)
2 WBS Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the LORD hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and 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 WBS The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. 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 WBS Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel to anger, they are gone away backward. 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 WBS Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. 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 WBS From the sole of the foot even to the head there is no soundness in it ; but wounds, and bruises, and putrifying sores: they have not been closed, neither bound up, neither mollified with ointment. 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 WBS Your country is desolate, your cities are burned with fire: your land, strangers devour it in your presence, and it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers. BSB BSB: Your land is desolate; your cities are burned with fire. Foreigners devour your fields before you—a desolation demolished by strangers.
8 WBS And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. 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 WBS Except the LORD of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom; we should have been like Gomorrah. 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 WBS Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear to the law of our God, ye 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 WBS To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices to me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats. 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 WBS When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? BSB BSB: When you come to appear before Me, who has required this of you—this trampling of My courts?
13 WBS Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination to me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot endure; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. 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 WBS Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble to me; I am weary to bear them . 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 WBS And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide my eyes from you: yes, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. 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 WBS Wash ye, make yourselves clean; put away the evil of your doings from before my eyes; cease to do evil; BSB BSB: Wash and cleanse yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil!
17 WBS Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. BSB BSB: Learn to do right; seek justice and correct the oppressor. Defend the fatherless and plead the case of the widow.”
18 WBS Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, though they are red like crimson, they shall be as 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 WBS If ye are willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: BSB BSB: If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.
20 WBS But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken 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 WBS How is the faithful city become a harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now 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 WBS Thy silver is become dross, thy wine mixed with water: BSB BSB: Your silver has become dross; your fine wine is diluted with water.
23 WBS Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come to them. 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 WBS Therefore saith the LORD, the LORD of hosts, the mighty One of Israel, Ah, I will ease me of my adversaries, and avenge me of 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 WBS And I will turn my hand upon thee, and thoroughly purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin: BSB BSB: I will turn My hand against you; I will thoroughly purge your dross; I will remove all your impurities.
26 WBS And I will restore thy judges as at the first, and thy counselors as at the beginning: afterward thou shalt be called, The city of righteousness, the 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 WBS Zion shall be redeemed with judgment, and her converts with righteousness. BSB BSB: Zion will be redeemed with justice, her repentant ones with righteousness.
28 WBS And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners shall be together, and they that forsake the LORD shall be consumed. BSB BSB: But rebels and sinners will together be shattered, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.
29 WBS For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have chosen. 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 WBS For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water. BSB BSB: For you will become like an oak whose leaves are withered, like a garden without water.
31 WBS And the strong shall be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together, and none shall quench them . 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.
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