Aa
God’s Lawsuit against Judah
1Now listen to what the Lord is saying:
Rise, plead your case before the mountains,
and let the hills hear your complaint.6:1 Lit voice
2Listen to the Lord’s lawsuit,6:2 Is 3:13; Jr 2:9
you mountains and enduring foundations of the earth,6:2 2Sm 22:16; Ps 104:5
because the Lord has a case against his people,6:2 Is 1:18; Hs 4:1; 12:2
and he will argue it against Israel.
3My people,6:3 Ps 50:7 what have I done to you,6:3 Jr 2:5
or how have I wearied you?6:3 Is 43:22–23
Testify against me!
4Indeed, I brought you up6:4 Ex 12:51; 20:2 from the land of Egypt
and redeemed you6:4 Dt 7:8 from that place of slavery.6:4 Ex 20:2
I sent Moses,6:4 Ps 77:20 Aaron, and Miriam6:4 Ex 15:20 ahead of you.
5My people,
remember what King Balak of Moab6:5 Nm 22:5–6 proposed,
what Balaam son of Beor answered him,6:5 Nm 22–24
and what happened from the Acacia Grove6:5 Or from Shittim6:5 Nm 25:1; Jos 2:1; 3:1 to Gilgal6:5 Jos 4:19; 5:9–10
so that you may acknowledge
the Lord’s righteous acts.6:5 1Sm 12:7; Ps 103:6; Is 1:27

6What should I bring before the Lord6:6 Ps 40:6–8
when I come to bow before God on high?
Should I come before him with burnt offerings,6:6 Ps 51:16–17
with year-old calves?
7Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams6:7 Ps 50:9; Is 40:16
or with ten thousand streams of oil?
Should I give my firstborn for my transgression,6:7 Lv 18:21; 20:1–5; Jr 7:31
the offspring of my body for my own sin?

8Mankind, he has told each of you what is good6:8 Dt 30:15
and what it is the Lord requires of you:6:8 Dt 10:12
to act justly,6:8 Is 56:1; Jr 22:3; Mt 23:23
to love faithfulness,6:8 Hs 6:6
and to walk humbly with your God.6:8 Is 57:15; 66:2
Verdict of Judgment
9The voice of the Lord calls out to the city6:9 = Jerusalem
(and it is wise to fear your name):
“Pay attention to the rod
and the one who ordained it.6:9 Or attention, you tribe. Who has ordained it?; Hb obscure
10Are there still6:10 Hb obscure the treasures of wickedness6:10 Jr 5:26–27; Am 3:10
and the accursed short measure6:10 Ezk 45:9–10; Am 8:5
in the house of the wicked?
11Can I excuse wicked scales
or bags of deceptive weights?6:11 Lv 19:36; Hs 12:7
12For the wealthy of the city are full of violence,6:12 Is 1:23; 5:7; Am 6:3–4; Mc 2:1–2
and its residents speak lies;6:12 Jr 9:2–6,8; Hs 7:13; Am 2:4
the tongues in their mouths are deceitful.6:12 Is 3:8

13“As a result, I have begun to strike you severely,6:13 LXX, Aq, Theod, Syr, Vg; MT reads I have made you sick by striking you down6:13 Mc 1:9
bringing desolation because of your sins.6:13 Is 1:7; 6:11
14You will eat but not be satisfied,6:14 Is 9:20
for there will be hunger within you.
What you acquire, you cannot save,6:14 Is 30:6
and what you do save,
I will give to the sword.6:14 Hb obscure
15You will sow but not reap;6:15 Dt 28:38–40; Jr 12:13
you will press olives
but not anoint yourself with oil;
and you will tread grapes
but not drink the wine.6:15 Am 5:11; Zph 1:13
16The statutes of Omri
and all the practices of Ahab’s house
have been observed;
you have followed their policies.6:16 1Kg 16:25–34; 2Kg 21:3; 2Ch 21:6,13; Jr 7:24
Therefore, I will make you a desolate place6:16 Jr 18:16
and the city’s6:16 Lit and its residents an object of contempt;6:16 Lit residents a hissing6:16 Jr 19:8; 25:9,18; 29:18
you will bear the scorn of my people.”6:16 LXX reads of the peoples6:16 Ps 44:13; Jr 51:51; Hs 12:14