1 H ear this word, you cows of Bashan who are in the mountain of Samaria, who oppress the poor, who crush the needy, who say to their husbands, Bring and let us drink!

Listen to this, you fat cows of Bashan who are on the mountain of Samaria. You make it hard for the poor. You crush those in need. You say to your husbands, “Bring us something to drink!”

2 T he Lord God has sworn by His holiness that behold, the days shall come upon you when they shall take you away with hooks and the last of you with fishhooks.

As the Lord God is holy, He has promised, “The days are coming when they will take you away with meat hooks. And the last of you will be taken with fish hooks.

3 A nd you shall go out through the breaches, every straight before her, and you shall be cast forth into Harmon, says the Lord.

You will go out through breaks in the walls. Each of you will go straight out. And you will be sent to Harmon,” says the Lord.

4 C ome to Bethel and transgress; at Gilgal multiply transgression; and bring your sacrifices every morning and your tithes every three days.

“Go to Bethel and sin! Go and sin much more in Gilgal! Bring your gifts in worship every morning. Every three days give a tenth part of what you receive.

5 A nd offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim and publish freewill offerings, for this you like to do, O children of Israel! says the Lord God.

Give a thank gift of bread made with yeast. And make your free-will gifts known. For this is what you love to do, O people of Israel,” says the Lord God. Israel Did Not Learn

6 I also gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities and want of bread in all your places; yet you did not return to Me, says the Lord.

“I kept food from your teeth in all your cities. I did not let you have enough bread in all your places. Yet you have not returned to Me,” says the Lord.

7 A nd also I withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the harvest. I caused it to rain upon one city and caused it not to rain upon another city; one piece of ground was rained upon, and the piece upon which it did not rain withered.

“I kept the rain from you while there were still three months until gathering time. Then I would send rain on one city, but would send no rain on another city. One part would receive rain, while the part which did not receive rain would dry up.

8 S o two or three cities wandered and staggered into one city to drink water, but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me, says the Lord.

People would go from city to city to drink water, but would not get enough. Yet you have not returned to Me,” says the Lord.

9 I smote you with blight and with mildew; I laid waste the multitude of your gardens and your vineyards; your fig trees and your olive trees the palmerworm devoured; yet you did not return to Me, says the Lord.

“I sent hot wind to dry up your fields. The locust destroyed your many gardens and grape-fields, fig trees and olive trees. Yet you have not returned to Me,” says the Lord.

10 I have sent among you the pestilence epidemic in Egypt; your young men I slew with the sword and I took into exile your horses, and I made the stench of your camp come up into your nostrils; yet you did not return to Me, says the Lord.

“I sent a very bad disease upon you as I had done to Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword and took your horses away. I filled your nose with the bad smell of your camp. Yet you have not returned to Me,” says the Lord.

11 I have overthrown some among you as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning; yet you did not return to Me, says the Lord.

“I destroyed some of you as I destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick pulled out of the fire. Yet you have not returned to Me,” says the Lord.

12 T herefore thus will I do to you, O Israel; and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

“So I will do this to you, O Israel. And because I will do this to you, get ready to meet your God, O Israel.”

13 F or behold, He Who forms the mountains and creates the wind and declares to man what is his thought, Who makes the morning darkness and treads on the heights of the earth—the Lord, the God of hosts, is His name!

He is the One Who makes the mountains and the wind. He makes His thoughts known to man. He turns the morning into darkness, and walks on the high places of the earth. The Lord God of All is His name.