The Lord’s Case
6 Now hear what the Lord says:
“Get up; plead ·your [or my] case in front of the mountains;
let the hills hear your ·story [L voice].
2 Mountains, listen to the Lord’s ·legal case [accusation; indictment].
·Strong [Enduring] foundations of the earth, listen.
The Lord has a ·legal case [accusation; indictment] against his people,
and he will ·accuse [contend with] Israel.”
3 He says, “My people, what did I do to you?
How ·did I make you tired of me [have I wearied you]?
·Tell [Answer] me.
4 I brought you from the land of Egypt [Ex. 12:51]
and ·freed [redeemed] you from slavery;
I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam [Ex. 15:20] to you.
5 My people, remember
the evil plans of Balak king of Moab [Num. 22:5]
and what Balaam son of Beor told Balak [Num. 22–24].
Remember what happened from Acacia to Gilgal [Josh. 3:1; 4:19–24]
so that you will know the ·Lord does what is right [righteousness/justice of the Lord]!”
6 You say, “What can I bring with me
when I come before the Lord,
when I bow before ·God on high [the exalted God]?
Should I come before him with burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–17],
with year-old calves?
7 Will the Lord be pleased with a thousand ·male sheep [rams]?
Will he be pleased with ten thousand rivers of oil?
Should I give my ·first child [firstborn] for ·the evil I have done [my transgression]?
Should I give ·my very own child [L the fruit of my body] for ·my sin [L the sin of my soul]?”
8 The Lord has told you, ·human [T O man], what is good;
he has told you what ·he wants [the Lord requires] from you:
to do what is ·right to other people [just],
love ·being kind to others [mercy; lovingkindness],
and ·live humbly, obeying [walk humbly with] your God.
9 The voice of the Lord ·calls [cries out] to the city,
and ·the wise person [L wisdom] ·honors him [L sees/acknowledges his name].
So ·pay attention [listen] to the ·rod of punishment [L rod];
pay attention to the One who ·threatens to punish [appointed it].
10 Are there still in the wicked house
wicked treasures
and the cursed false measure?
11 Can I forgive people who cheat others
with ·wrong [wicked] weights and [L deceptive] scales [Prov. 11:1]?
12 The rich people of the city
·do cruel things [L are full of violence].
Its people tell lies;
·they do not tell the truth [L their tongues in their mouths are deceitful].
13 As for me, I will make you sick.
I will ·attack [strike] you, ruining you because of your sins.
14 You will eat, but you won’t ·become full [be satisfied];
you will still be hungry and empty.
You will store up, but save nothing,
and what you store up, ·the sword will destroy [L I will give to the sword].
15 You will plant,
but you won’t harvest.
You will ·step on your [press; tread] olives,
but you won’t ·get any oil from them [anoint yourself with oil].
You will ·crush [tread] the grapes,
but you will not drink the new wine.
16 This is because you ·obey [keep; observe] the ·laws [statutes] of King Omri [C a wicked king of Israel; 1 Kin. 16:25, 26]
and do all the things that Ahab’s family does [C another wicked king of Israel; 1 Kin. 16:30–33; 21:25, 26];
you follow their ·advice [or traditions; policies].
So I will ·let you be destroyed [make you a desolation].
The people in your city will be ·laughed at [taunted; L a hissing],
and other nations will ·make fun of [mock] you.