1 L isten to what the Lord says: “Stand up and make your cause known in front of the mountains. Let the hills hear your voice.

¶ Hear ye now what the LORD saith: Arise, contend thou with the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.

2 L isten to the Lord’s cause, you mountains and bases of the earth that last forever. The Lord has something against His people, and will speak against Israel.

Hear ye, O mountains, the LORD’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with his people, and he will reprove Israel.

3 M y people, what have I done to you? How have I made it hard for you? Answer Me.

O my people, what have I done unto thee? and in what have I wearied thee? testify against me.

4 I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I took you out of the land where you were servants. And I sent Moses, Aaron and Miriam to lead you.

For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt and ransomed thee out of the house of slaves; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

5 M y people, remember what Balak king of Moab said, and what Balaam son of Beor answered him. Remember what happened from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may know the good things the Lord has done.” What the Lord Wants

O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal: that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.

6 W hat should I bring to the Lord when I bow down before the God on high? Should I come to Him with burnt gifts, with calves a year old?

¶ With what shall I present myself before the LORD, and how shall I worship the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

7 W ill the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with 10, 000 rivers of oil? Should I give my first-born to pay for not obeying? Should I give the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my rebellion, the fruit of my bowels for the sin of my soul?

8 O man, He has told you what is good. What does the Lord ask of you but to do what is fair and to love kindness, and to walk without pride with your God? Israel Is Punished

He has declared unto thee, O man, what is good and what the LORD requires of thee: only to do right judgment, and to love mercy, and to humble thyself to walk with thy God.

9 T he voice of the Lord is calling to the city, and it is wise to fear Your name: “Listen, O family of Judah, you who are gathered in the city.

¶ The LORD’s voice cries out unto the city, and the man of wisdom shall see thy name: hear ye the rod, and he who has established it.

10 O sinful house, can I forget the riches you got by wrong-doing? You lied about the weight of things, which I hate.

Are there yet the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked and the scant measure that is abominable?

11 C an I make a man not guilty who lies and has false weights in his bag?

Can I be pure with false balances and with a bag of deceitful weights?

12 T he rich men of the city have hurt many people. Her people are liars. Their tongues in their mouths speak false words.

With which their rich men are full of violence, and the inhabitants thereof have spoken lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their mouth.

13 S o I have begun to punish you, to destroy you because of your sins.

Therefore I have also made thee weak in smiting thee, in making thee desolate because of thy sins.

14 Y ou will eat, but you will not be filled. Your stomachs will still be empty. You will store up, but save nothing. And what you save I will give to the sword.

Thou shalt eat, but not be satisfied; and thy casting down shall be in the midst of thee; and thou shalt take, but shalt not be saved; and that which thou dost save, I will give it up to the sword.

15 Y ou will plant, but you will not gather. You will crush the olive, but you will not pour oil on yourself. You will crush the grapes, but you will not drink wine.

Thou shalt sow, but thou shalt not reap; thou shalt tread the olives, but thou shalt not anoint thee with the oil; and sweet wine, but shalt not drink the wine.

16 Y ou have kept the laws of Omri and all the works of the people of Ahab. You have followed their ways. So I will give you up to be destroyed, and your people will be made fun of. You, My people, will be put to shame.”

For the statutes of Omri have been kept and all the works of the house of Ahab, and ye have walked in their counsels that I should make thee a desolation, and the inhabitants thereof a hissing: therefore ye shall bear the reproach of my people.