2Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children[1] have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me. (De 4:26; De 32:1; De 32:6; De 32:10; De 32:15; Mic 1:2; Mic 6:2)3The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s crib, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” (Jer 8:7)4Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. (Isa 5:24; Isa 31:1; Eze 14:5; Mt 3:7)5Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. (Isa 9:13; Isa 31:6; Jer 5:3)6From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil. (Ps 38:3; Jer 8:22)7Your country lies desolate; your cities are burned with fire; in your very presence foreigners devour your land; it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners. (De 28:51; Isa 5:5; Isa 6:11)8And the daughter of Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a besieged city. (Job 27:18; Isa 10:32; Isa 37:22; Zec 2:10; Zec 9:9)9If the Lord of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom, and become like Gomorrah. (Ge 19:24; Isa 10:21; Isa 13:19; La 3:22; Ro 9:29)10Hear the word of the Lord, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching[2] of our God, you people of Gomorrah! (De 32:32; Isa 3:9; Eze 16:46; Eze 16:48; Eze 16:55; Re 11:8)11“What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats. (1Sa 15:22; Pr 15:8; Isa 66:3; Jer 6:20; Mal 1:10)12“When you come to appear before me, who has required of you this trampling of my courts? (Ex 23:17; Ex 34:23)13Bring no more vain offerings; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. (Ex 12:16; Le 23:36; Nu 28:11; 1Ch 23:31; Jer 7:9; Joe 2:15)14Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. (Isa 1:13)15When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood. (1Ki 8:22; Pr 1:28; Isa 59:3; Mic 3:4)16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil, (Jer 2:22; 1Pe 3:11)17learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. (Isa 1:23; Jer 22:3; Jas 1:27)18“Come now, let us reason[3] together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. (Ps 51:7; Isa 43:26; Mic 6:2; Re 7:14)19If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; (De 30:15)20but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” (Nu 23:19; Isa 1:2; Isa 24:3; Isa 40:5; Isa 58:14; Mic 4:4)
The Unfaithful City
21How the faithful city has become a whore,[4] she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. (Ex 34:15; Jer 2:20; Jer 31:23)22Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water. (Jer 6:30; Eze 22:18)23Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow’s cause does not come to them. (Ex 23:8; Isa 1:17; Jer 5:28; Mic 7:3; Zec 7:10)24Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: “Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes. (De 32:41; Ps 132:2; Isa 3:1; Isa 10:33)25I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. (Ps 81:14; Isa 5:25; Eze 22:20; Am 1:8; Mal 3:3)26And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.” (Jer 33:7; Jer 33:11; Zec 8:3)27Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness. (Jer 22:3)28But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. (Job 31:3; Ps 1:6)29For they[5] shall be ashamed of the oaks that you desired; and you shall blush for the gardens that you have chosen. (Isa 57:5; Isa 65:3; Isa 66:17; Ho 4:13; Ho 4:19)30For you shall be like an oak whose leaf withers, and like a garden without water. (Jer 17:8)31And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them. (Jud 16:9; Isa 66:24)