Chapter 6

God’s Indictment of His People

1 Hear now what the Lord is saying,

“Arise, plead your case 1before the mountains,

And let the hills hear your voice.

2 “Listen, you mountains, to the indictment of the Lord,

And you enduring afoundations of the earth,

Because the bLord has a case against His people;

Even with Israel He will dispute.

3 “aMy people, bwhat have I done to you,

And chow have I wearied you? Answer Me.

4 “Indeed, I abrought you up from the land of Egypt

And bransomed you from the house of slavery,

And I sent before you cMoses, Aaron and dMiriam.

5 “My people, remember now

What aBalak king of Moab counseled

And what Balaam son of Beor answered him,

And from bShittim to cGilgal,

So 1that you might know the drighteous acts of the Lord.”

What God Requires of Man

6 aWith what shall I come to the Lord

And bow myself before the God on high?

Shall I come to Him with bburnt offerings,

With yearling calves?

7 Does the Lord take delight in athousands of rams,

In ten thousand rivers of oil?

Shall I present my bfirstborn for my rebellious acts,

The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He has atold you, O man, what is good;

And bwhat does the Lord require of you

But to cdo justice, to dlove 1kindness,

And to walk 2ehumbly with your God?

9 The voice of the Lord will call to the city—

And it is sound wisdom to fear Your name:

“Hear, O tribe. Who has appointed 1its time?

10 “Is there yet a man in the wicked house,

Along with treasures of awickedness

And a 1bshort measure that is cursed?

11 “Can I justify wicked ascales

And a bag of deceptive weights?

12 “For the rich men of the 1city are full of aviolence,

Her residents speak blies,

And their ctongue is deceitful in their mouth.

13 “So also I will make you asick, striking you down,

bDesolating you because of your sins.

14 “You will eat, but you will anot be satisfied,

And your 1vileness will be in your midst.

You will try to remove for safekeeping,

But you will bnot preserve anything,

And what you do preserve I will give to the sword.

15 “You will sow but you will anot reap.

You will tread the olive but will not anoint yourself with oil;

And the grapes, but you will bnot drink wine.

16 “The statutes of aOmri

And all the works of the house of bAhab are observed;

And in their devices you cwalk.

Therefore I will give you up for ddestruction

And 1your inhabitants for ederision,

And you will bear the freproach of My people.”