Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 Listen to the Lord's case against Israel. Arise, O Lord, and present your case; let the mountains and the hills hear what you say.
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Listen now to what Yahweh says: "Arise, plead your case before the mountains, And let the hills hear what you have to say.
2 You mountains, you everlasting foundations of the earth, listen to the Lord's case! The Lord has a case against his people. He is going to bring an accusation against Israel.
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Hear, you mountains, Yahweh's controversy, And you enduring foundations of the earth; For Yahweh has a controversy with his people, And he will contend with Israel.
3 The Lord says, "My people, what have I done to you? How have I been a burden to you? Answer me.
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My people, what have I done to you? How have I burdened you? Answer me!
4 I brought you out of Egypt; I rescued you from slavery; I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam to lead you.
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For I brought you up out of the land of Egypt, And redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
5 My people, remember what King Balak of Moab planned to do to you and how Balaam son of Beor answered him. Remember the things that happened on the way from the camp at Acacia to Gilgal. Remember these things and you will realize what I did in order to save you."
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My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, That you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh."
6 What shall I bring to the Lord, the God of heaven, when I come to worship him? Shall I bring the best calves to burn as offerings to him?
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How shall I come before Yahweh, And bow myself before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, With calves a year old?
7 Will the Lord be pleased if I bring him thousands of sheep or endless streams of olive oil? Shall I offer him my first-born child to pay for my sins?
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Will Yahweh be pleased with thousands of rams? With tens of thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my firstborn for my disobedience? The fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
8 No, the Lord has told us what is good. What he requires of us is this: to do what is just, to show constant love, and to live in humble fellowship with our God.
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He has shown you, O man, what is good. What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, To love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?
9 It is wise to fear the Lord. He calls to the city, "Listen, you people who assemble in the city!
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Yahweh's voice calls to the city, And wisdom sees your name: "Listen to the rod, And he who appointed it.
10 In the houses of evil people are treasures which they got dishonestly. They use false measures, a thing that I hate.
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Are there yet treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked, And a short ephah that is accursed?
11 How can I forgive those who use false scales and weights?
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Shall I be pure with dishonest scales, And with a bag of deceitful weights?
12 Your rich people exploit the poor, and all of you are liars.
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Her rich men are full of violence, Her inhabitants speak lies, And their tongue is deceitful in their speech.
13 So I have already begun your ruin and destruction because of your sins.
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Therefore I also have struck you with a grievous wound. I have made you desolate because of your sins.
14 You will eat, but not be satisfied - in fact you will still be hungry. You will carry things off, but you will not be able to save them; anything you do save I will destroy in war.
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You shall eat, but not be satisfied. Your humiliation will be in your midst. You will store up, but not save; And that which you save I will give up to the sword.
15 You will sow grain, but not harvest the crop. You will press oil from olives, but never get to use it. You will make wine, but never drink it.
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You will sow, but won't reap. You will tread the olives, but won't anoint yourself with oil; And crush grapes, but won't drink the wine.
16 This will happen because you have followed the evil practices of King Omri and of his son, King Ahab. You have continued their policies, and so I will bring you to ruin, and everyone will despise you. People everywhere will treat you with contempt."
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For the statutes of Omri are kept, And all the works of the house of Ahab. You walk in their counsels, That I may make you a ruin, And her inhabitants a hissing; And you will bear the reproach of my people."
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.