Hearthis,O priests!Giveheed,O houseof Israel!Listen,O houseof the king!For the judgmentapplies to you, For you have beena snareat MizpahAnd a netspreadout on Tabor.
For I solemnlywarnedyour fathersin the daythat I broughtthem up from the landof Egypt,even to thisday,warningpersistently,saying,"Listento My voice."
Sayto the kingand the queenmother,"Takea lowlyseat,For your beautifulcrownHas comedownfrom your head."
"As I live,"declaresthe KingWhose nameis the LORDof hosts,"Surelyone shall come[who looms up] like Taboramong the mountains,Or like Carmelby the sea.
Thusit will be doneto you at Bethelbecauseof your greatwickedness.At dawnthe kingof Israelwill be completelycutoff.
I will encounterthem like a bearrobbedof her cubs,And I will tearopen their chests;ThereI will also devourthem like a lioness,[As] a wildbeastwould tearthem.
Listento the wordof the LORD,O sonsof Israel,For the LORDhas a caseagainstthe inhabitantsof the land,Becausethereis nofaithfulnessor kindnessOr knowledgeof Godin the land.
And as raiderswaitfor a man,[So] a bandof priestsmurderon the wayto Shechem;Surelythey have committedcrime.
Ephraim[was] a watchmanwith my God,a prophet;[Yet] the snareof a birdcatcheris in allhis ways,[And] there is [only] hostilityin the houseof his God.
Hearthis,O elders,And listen,allinhabitantsof the land.Has [anything like] thishappenedin your daysOrin your fathers'days?
Hearthiswordwhichthe LORDhas spokenagainstyou, sonsof Israel,againstthe entirefamilywhichHe broughtup from the landof Egypt:
"The highplacesof Isaacwill be desolatedAnd the sanctuariesof Israellaidwaste.Then I will riseup againstthe houseof Jeroboamwith the sword."
And I said,"Hearnow,headsof JacobAnd rulersof the houseof Israel.Is it not for you to knowjustice?
Nowhearthis,headsof the houseof JacobAnd rulersof the houseof Israel,Who abhorjusticeAnd twisteverythingthat is straight,
The godlypersonhas perishedfrom the land,And thereis noupright[person] among men.Allof them liein waitfor bloodshed;Eachof them huntsthe otherwith a net.
"'A sonhonors[his] father,and a servanthis master.Then ifI am a father,whereis My honor?And ifI am a master,whereis My respect?'saysthe LORDof hoststo you, O priestswho despiseMy name.But you say,'Howhave we despisedYour name?'
"And nowthiscommandmentis for you, O priests.
Then they toldSiserathat Barakthe sonof Abinoamhad goneup to MountTabor.
Now she sentand summonedBarakthe sonof Abinoamfrom Kedesh-naphtali,and saidto him, "Behold,the LORD,the Godof Israel,has commanded,'Goand marchto MountTabor,and takewith you tenthousandmenfrom the sonsof Naphtaliand from the sonsof Zebulun.
He used to goannuallyon circuitto Betheland Gilgaland Mizpah,and he judgedIsraelin alltheseplaces.
Then Samuelsaid,"GatherallIsraelto Mizpahand I will prayto the LORDfor you."
They gatheredto Mizpah,and drewwaterand pouredit out beforethe LORD,and fastedon that dayand saidthere,"We have sinnedagainst the LORD."And Samueljudgedthe sonsof Israelat Mizpah.
