The Holy Bible

Israel Has Not Returned to God

this word, you cows of Bashan, who are on Mount Samaria,

you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy;
who say to your husbands, “Bring us something to drink!” 2 The Lord God has sworn by His holiness:
“Behold, the days are coming when they will take you away with hooks—
even the very last of you, with fishhooks. 3 You will leave through breaches on the wall,
each woman straight ahead, and you will be cast out toward Harmon,” declares the Lord.

4 “Go to Bethel and sin;
go to Gilgal and sin even more! Bring your sacrifices every morning,
your tithes every three days. 5 Burn leavened bread as a thank offering;
and boast loudly about your freewill offerings, for that is what you love to do, you Israelites,”
declares the Lord God.

6 “I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
and the lack of bread in all your towns, yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the Lord.

7 “I also withheld the rain from you
when there was still three months until harvest. I sent rain on one city,
but withheld it from another city. One field received rain,
while another field had no rain and withered. 8 Two or three cities wandered to another city to drink water,
but they were not satisfied; yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the Lord.

9 “I struck you with blight and mildew;
many times locusts devoured your gardens and vineyards, and your fig trees and your olive trees, yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the Lord.

10 “I sent plagues among you
like those of Egypt; I killed your young men with the sword,
along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps, yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the Lord.

11 “I overthrew some of you
as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and you were like a burning stick
snatched from the fire, yet you did not return to Me,”
declares the Lord.

12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, O Israel,
and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”

13 He who forms the mountains,
creates the wind, and reveals His thoughts to man, He who makes the dawn out of darkness,
and treads on the high places of the earth— the Lord, the God of Hosts, is His name.