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| Photo by Jim Tracy |
1 Great Sorrow to the rulers and judges of Israel, who think they are secure in Zion, and who trust in the mountains of Samaria (for protection).
2 Go look at Calneh (in Babylon), and from there go (north of Damascus) to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: is your kingdom any better than they were? are you any stronger or bigger?
3 You ignore the coming disaster and that brings it closer!
4 You relax on your beds made of ivory, and rest on your couches eating mutton and veal.
5 You make up songs and and waste time inventing new musical instruments, thinking you are like David.
6 You drink wine until you are drunk, and wear expensive perfumes, but aren't upset about your country being destroyed.
7 And so the rich will be carried off first! The party is over!
7 And so the rich will be carried off first! The party is over!
Assyria left the poorest people to take care of the land. It’s the rich they punished the hardest.
8 The Master I Am has sworn by His Own Name- Commander of the Angel Armies, "I hate the 'elite' of Jacob, and I hate his palaces! and so I will deliver up the city with all that is in it to its enemies!
9 It will happen that if there are left ten men in one house, they will all die.
10 And when a relative comes to burn the dead bodies, he will ask anyone hiding in the house if there is anyone else left alive. And when he says, "No." the relative will say, "Hush! for the Name of the I Am must not be mentioned!"
They would be afraid to even mention God's name; afraid He would take offence at it and punish them more.
11 "Because, look," the I Am orders, "The great houses will be smashed to pieces and the little houses will be turned into rubble."
12 Do horses run on the rocks? Can you plow up the sea with oxen? (Of course not!) But you have turned justice into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness.
13 You who rejoice in your triumphs, and say, "We've made ourselves strong!"
Israel was bragging about some minor military victories and trusting that that proved they could defeat the Assyrians.
14 I will bring an army against you, a nation O Israel, says the I Am, the Commander of Angel Armies, and they will beat you up from one end of the country to the other!
14 I will bring an army against you, a nation O Israel, says the I Am, the Commander of Angel Armies, and they will beat you up from one end of the country to the other!