For Jerusalemhas stumbledand Judahhas fallen,Becausetheir speechand their actionsare againstthe LORD,To rebelagainst His gloriouspresence.
The Philistinesalso had invadedthe citiesof the lowlandand of the Negevof Judah,and had takenBeth-shemesh,Aijalon,Gederoth,and Socowith its villages,Timnahwith its villages,and Gimzowith its villages,and they settledthere.
Therefore the LORDbroughtthe commandersof the armyof the kingof Assyriaagainstthem, and they capturedManassehwith hooks,boundhim with bronze[chains] and tookhim to Babylon.
He who digsa pitwill fallinto it, And he who rollsa stone,it will comebackon him.
Your landis desolate,Your citiesare burnedwith fire,Your fields--strangersare devouringthem in your presence;It is desolation,as overthrownby strangers.
"For your wasteand desolateplaces and your destroyedland--Surelynowyou will be toocrampedfor the inhabitants,And those who swallowedyou will be faraway.
"Againstwhomdo you jest?Againstwhomdo you openwideyour mouthAnd stickout your tongue?Are you not childrenof rebellion,Offspringof deceit,
For your handsare defiledwith bloodAnd your fingerswith iniquity;Your lipshave spokenfalsehood,Your tonguemutterswickedness.
Then I said,"Lord,howlong?"And He answered,"Untilcitiesare devastated[and] withoutinhabitant,Housesare withoutpeopleAnd the landis utterlydesolate,
Thereforethe Lorddoes not takepleasurein their youngmen,Nordoes He havepityon their orphansor their widows;For everyoneof them is godlessand an evildoer,And everymouthis speakingfoolishness.In [spite of] allthis,His angerdoes not turnawayAnd His handis stillstretchedout.
"For you will nolongerrememberthe oracleof the LORD,becauseeveryman'sown wordwill becomethe oracle,and you have pervertedthe wordsof the livingGod,the LORDof hosts,our God.
"Micahof Moreshethprophesiedin the daysof Hezekiahkingof Judah;and he spoketo allthe peopleof Judah,saying,'Thusthe LORDof hostshas said,"Zionwill be plowed[as] a field,And Jerusalemwill becomeruins,And the mountainof the houseas the highplacesof a forest."'
then I will makethishouselike Shiloh,and thiscityI will makea curseto allthe nationsof the earth."'"
"Behold,he goesup like clouds,And his chariotslike the whirlwind;His horsesare swifterthaneagles.Woeto us, for we are ruined!"
becauseof their wickednesswhichthey committedso as to provokeMe to angerby continuingto burnsacrifices[and] to serveothergodswhomthey had not known,[neither] they, you, noryour fathers.
Her uncleannesswas in her skirts;She did not considerher future.Therefore she has fallenastonishingly;She hasnocomforter."See,O LORD,my affliction,For the enemyhas magnifiedhimself!"
Then He saidto me, "Sonof man,do you seewhatthe eldersof the houseof Israelare committingin the dark,eachmanin the roomof his carvedimages?For they say,The LORDdoes not seeus; the LORDhas forsakenthe land.'"
Then He saidto me, "The iniquityof the houseof Israeland Judahis very,verygreat,and the landis filledwith bloodand the cityis fullof perversion;for they say,'The LORDhas forsakenthe land,and the LORDdoes not see!'
Moreover, the prideof Israeltestifiesagainsthim, And Israeland Ephraimstumblein their iniquity;Judahalsohas stumbledwith them.
They turn,[but] not upward,They are like a deceitfulbow;Their princeswill fallby the swordBecauseof the insolenceof their tongue.This[will be] their derisionin the landof Egypt.
Therefore,on accountof you Zionwill be plowedas a field,Jerusalemwill becomea heapof ruins,And the mountainof the temple[will become] highplacesof a forest.
"For the richmenof [the] city are fullof violence,Her residentsspeaklies,And their tongueis deceitfulin their mouth.
[Your] eyesare toopureto approveevil,And You cannot lookon wickedness[with favor]. Whydo You lookwith favor On those who dealtreacherously?Why are You silentwhen the wickedswallowup Those morerighteousthanthey?
Ordo we provokethe Lordto jealousy?We are not strongerthan He, are we?
to executejudgmentupon all,and to convictallthe ungodlyof alltheir ungodlydeedswhichthey have done in an ungodly way,and of allthe harsh thingswhichungodlysinnershave spokenagainstHim."
