Disaster is Coming

5:8 Those who accumulate houses are as good as dead,16

those who also accumulate landed property17

until there is no land left,18

and you are the only landowners remaining within the land.19

5:9 The Lord who commands armies told me this:20

“Many houses will certainly become desolate,

large, impressive houses will have no one living in them.21

5:10 Indeed, a large vineyard22 will produce just a few gallons,23

and enough seed to yield several bushels24 will produce less than a bushel.”25

5:11 Those who get up early to drink beer are as good as dead,26

those who keep drinking long after dark

until they are intoxicated with wine.27

5:12 They have stringed instruments,28 tambourines, flutes,

and wine at their parties.

So they do not recognize what the Lord is doing,

they do not perceive what he is bringing about.29

5:13 Therefore my30 people will be deported31

because of their lack of understanding.

Their32 leaders will have nothing to eat,33

their34 masses will have nothing to drink.35

5:14 So Death36 will open up its throat,

and open wide its mouth;37

Zion’s dignitaries and masses will descend into it,

including those who revel and celebrate within her.38

5:15 Men will be humiliated,

they will be brought low;

the proud will be brought low.39

5:16 The Lord who commands armies will be exalted40 when he punishes,41

the sovereign God’s authority will be recognized when he judges.42

5:17 Lambs43 will graze as if in their pastures,

amid the ruins the rich sojourners will graze.44

5:18 Those who pull evil along using cords of emptiness are as good as dead,45

who pull sin as with cart ropes.46

5:19 They say, “Let him hurry, let him act quickly,47

so we can see;

let the plan of the Holy One of Israel48 take shape49 and come to pass,

then we will know it!”

5:20 Those who call evil good and good evil are as good as dead,50

who turn darkness into light and light into darkness,

who turn bitter into sweet and sweet into bitter.51

5:21 Those who think they are wise are as good as dead,52

those who think they possess understanding.53

5:22 Those who are champions54 at drinking wine are as good as dead,55

who display great courage when mixing strong drinks.

5:23 They pronounce the guilty innocent for a payoff,

they ignore the just cause of the innocent.56

5:24 Therefore, as flaming fire57 devours straw,

and dry grass disintegrates in the flames,

so their root will rot,

and their flower will blow away like dust.58

For they have rejected the law of the Lord who commands armies,

they have spurned the commands59 of the Holy One of Israel.60

5:25 So the Lord is furious61 with his people;

he lifts62 his hand and strikes them.

The mountains shake,

and corpses lie like manure63 in the middle of the streets.

Despite all this, his anger does not subside,

and his hand is ready to strike again.64

5:26 He lifts a signal flag for a distant nation,65

he whistles for it to come from the far regions of the earth.

Look, they66 come quickly and swiftly.

5:27 None tire or stumble,

they don’t stop to nap or sleep.

They don’t loosen their belts,

or unstrap their sandals to rest.67

5:28 Their arrows are sharpened,

and all their bows are prepared.68

The hooves of their horses are hard as flint,69

and their chariot wheels are like a windstorm.70

5:29 Their roar is like a lion’s;

they roar like young lions.

They growl and seize their prey;

they drag it away and no one can come to the rescue.

5:30 At that time71 they will growl over their prey,72

it will sound like sea waves crashing against rocks.73

One will look out over the land and see the darkness of disaster,

clouds will turn the light into darkness.74