The Wickedness of Judah

2 cHear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth!

For the Lord has spoken:

“I have nourished and brought up children,

And they have rebelled against Me;

3 dThe ox knows its owner

And the donkey its master’s 1crib;

But Israel edoes not know,

My people do not 2consider.”

4 Alas, sinful nation,

A people 3laden with iniquity,

fA 4brood of evildoers,

Children who are corrupters!

They have forsaken the Lord,

They have provoked to anger

The Holy One of Israel,

They have turned away backward.

5 gWhy should you be stricken again?

You will revolt more and more.

The whole head is sick,

And the whole heart faints.

6 From the sole of the foot even to the head,

There is no soundness in it,

But wounds and bruises and putrefying sores;

They have not been closed or bound up,

Or soothed with ointment.

7 hYour country is desolate,

Your cities are burned with fire;

Strangers devour your land in your presence;

And it is desolate, as overthrown by strangers.

8 So the daughter of Zion is left ias a 5booth in a vineyard,

As a hut in a garden of cucumbers,

jAs a besieged city.

9 kUnless the Lord of hosts

Had left to us a very small remnant,

We would have become like lSodom,

We would have been made like Gomorrah.

10 Hear the word of the Lord,

You rulers mof Sodom;

Give ear to the law of our God,

You people of Gomorrah:

11 “To what purpose is the multitude of your nsacrifices to Me?”

Says the Lord.

“I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

And the fat of fed cattle.

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

Or of lambs or goats.

12 “When you come oto appear before Me,

Who has required this from your hand,

To trample My courts?

13 Bring no more pfutile 6sacrifices;

Incense is an abomination to Me.

The New Moons, the Sabbaths, and qthe calling of assemblies—

I cannot endure iniquity and the sacred meeting.

14 Your rNew Moons and your sappointed feasts

My soul hates;

They are a trouble to Me,

I am weary of bearing them.

15 tWhen you 7spread out your hands,

I will hide My eyes from you;

uEven though you make many prayers,

I will not hear.

Your hands are full of 8blood.

16 “Wash vyourselves, make yourselves clean;

Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes.

wCease to do evil,

17 Learn to do good;

Seek justice,

Rebuke 9the oppressor;

1Defend the fatherless,

Plead for the widow.

18 “Come now, and let us xreason together,”

Says the Lord,

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

yThey shall be as white as snow;

Though they are red like crimson,

They shall be as wool.

19 If you are willing and obedient,

You shall eat the good of the land;

20 But if you refuse and rebel,

You shall be devoured by the sword”;

zFor the mouth of the Lord has spoken.