1 W oe to those who are at ease in Zion, and to those who are secure on the mountain of Samaria, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel come!

Woe to those who are at ease in Zion and to those on the mountain of Samaria who are careless and feel secure, the notable men of the chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel comes!

2 G o to Calneh, and see; and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. are they better than these kingdoms? or is their border greater than your border?

Pass over to Calneh and see, and from there go to Hamath the great; then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms? Or are their boundaries greater than your boundaries,

3 T hose who put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

O you who put far away the evil day, yet cause the sitting of violence to come near?

4 W ho lie on beds of ivory, and stretch themselves on their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the middle of the stall;

Woe to those who lie upon beds of ivory and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock and the calves out of the midst of the stall,

5 w ho strum on the strings of a harp; who invent for themselves instruments of music, like David;

Who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and invent for themselves instruments of music like David’s,

6 w ho drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the best oils; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Who drink wine in bowls and anoint themselves with the finest oils, but are not grieved and sick at heart over the affliction and ruin of Joseph (Israel)!

7 T herefore they will now go captive with the first who go captive; and the feasting and lounging will end.

Therefore now shall they go captive with the first who go into exile, and the revelry and banqueting of those who stretch themselves shall be ended.

8 “ The Lord Yahweh has sworn by himself,” says Yahweh, the God of Armies: “I abhor the pride of Jacob, and detest his fortresses. Therefore I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.

The Lord God has sworn by Himself—the Lord, the God of hosts, says: I abhor, reject, and despise the pride and false, futile glory of Jacob (Israel), and I hate his palaces and strongholds; and I will deliver up the city with all that is in it.

9 I t will happen, if there remain ten men in one house, that they shall die.

And it shall come to pass that if there remain ten men in one house, they shall die.

10 “ When a man’s relative carries him, even he who burns him, to bring bodies out of the house, and asks him who is in the innermost parts of the house, ‘Is there yet any with you?’ And he says, ‘No;’ then he will say, ‘Hush! Indeed we must not mention Yahweh’s name.’

And then a man’s uncle or kinsman, he who is to make a burning to cremate and dispose, comes in to bring the bones out of the house, and he shall say to another still alive in the farthest parts of the house, Is there anyone else with you? and he shall say, No. Then shall the newcomer say, Hush! Hold your tongue! We dare not so mention the name of the Lord.

11 “ For, behold, Yahweh commands, and the great house will be smashed to pieces, and the little house into bits.

For behold, the Lord commands and He will smite the great house into ruins and the little house into fragments.

12 D o horses run on the rocky crags? Does one plow there with oxen? But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness;

Do horses run upon rocks? Do men plow the ocean with oxen? But you have turned justice into gall and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—

13 y ou who rejoice in a thing of nothing, who say, ‘Haven’t we taken for ourselves horns by our own strength?’

You who rejoice in Lo-debar, who say, Have we not by our own strength taken Karnaim or horns for ourselves?

14 F or, behold, I will raise up against you a nation, house of Israel,” says Yahweh, the God of Armies; “and they will afflict you from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of the Arabah.”

For behold, I will raise up against you a nation, O house of Israel, says the Lord, the God of hosts; and they shall afflict and oppress you from the entrance of Hamath to the brook of the Arabah.