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Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem

For now the Lord,
    the Lord of Hosts,
takes away from Jerusalem and from Judah
    the stock and the store,
the whole supply of bread, and the whole supply of water;
    the mighty man and the man of war,
the judge and the prophet,
    and the prudent and the ancient,
the captain of fifty and the honorable man,
    the counselor and the skillful artisan, and the eloquent orator.

I will give youths to be their princes,
    and unweaned children shall rule over them.

The people shall be oppressed,
    every one by another, and every one by his neighbor;
the youth shall behave himself proudly against the elder,
    and the inferior against the honorable.

When a man shall take hold of his brother
    in the house of his father saying,
“You have clothing; be our ruler,
    and let this ruin be under your power,”
in that day he shall swear saying,
    “I will not be a healer.
For in my house is neither bread nor clothing;
    do not make me a ruler of the people.”

For Jerusalem is ruined,
    and Judah is fallen,
because their tongue and their deeds are against the Lord,
    to provoke the eyes of His glory.
The expression of their countenance witnesses against them,
    and they declare their sin as Sodom;
    they hide it not.
Woe to them!
    For they have brought evil on themselves.

10 Say to the righteous that it shall be well with them,
    for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him,
for the reward of his hands shall be given him.

12 As for My people, children are their oppressors,
    and women rule over them.
O My people, those who lead you cause you to err,
    and destroy the way of your paths.

13 The Lord stands up to plead
    and stands to judge the people.
14 The Lord will enter into judgment
    with the elders and the princes of His people:
For you have eaten up the vineyard;
    the spoil of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean that you beat My people to pieces
    and grind the faces of the poor?
    says the Lord God of Hosts.

16 Moreover the Lord says:
    Because the daughters of Zion are haughty
and walk with outstretched necks
    and wanton eyes,
walking and mincing as they go,
    and making a tinkling with their feet,
17 therefore, the Lord will strike with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion,
    and the Lord will make their foreheads bare.

18 In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the ankle ornaments, and the headbands, and the crescent ornaments, 19 the chains, and the bracelets, and the veils, 20 the bonnets, the leg ornaments, the sashes, perfume boxes, amulets, 21 the finger rings, nose rings, 22 festal robes, outer tunics, cloaks, purses, 23 hand mirrors, and undergarments, hoods, and veils.

24 Instead of sweet perfume there shall be a stench;
    and instead of a belt, a rope;
and instead of well-set hair, baldness;
    and instead of fine clothes, a girding of sackcloth;
    and branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men shall fall by the sword,
    and your mighty in the war.
26 Her gates shall lament and mourn,
    and she, being desolate, shall sit on the ground.

Judgment on Jerusalem and Judah

See now, the Lord,
    the Lord Almighty,
is about to take from Jerusalem and Judah
    both supply and support:(A)
all supplies of food(B) and all supplies of water,(C)
    the hero and the warrior,(D)
the judge and the prophet,
    the diviner(E) and the elder,(F)
the captain of fifty(G) and the man of rank,(H)
    the counselor, skilled craftsman(I) and clever enchanter.(J)

“I will make mere youths their officials;
    children will rule over them.”(K)

People will oppress each other—
    man against man, neighbor against neighbor.(L)
The young will rise up against the old,
    the nobody against the honored.

A man will seize one of his brothers
    in his father’s house, and say,
“You have a cloak, you be our leader;
    take charge of this heap of ruins!”
But in that day(M) he will cry out,
    “I have no remedy.(N)
I have no food(O) or clothing in my house;
    do not make me the leader of the people.”(P)

Jerusalem staggers,
    Judah is falling;(Q)
their words(R) and deeds(S) are against the Lord,
    defying(T) his glorious presence.
The look on their faces testifies(U) against them;
    they parade their sin like Sodom;(V)
    they do not hide it.
Woe to them!
    They have brought disaster(W) upon themselves.

10 Tell the righteous it will be well(X) with them,
    for they will enjoy the fruit of their deeds.(Y)
11 Woe to the wicked!(Z)
    Disaster(AA) is upon them!
They will be paid back(AB)
    for what their hands have done.(AC)

12 Youths(AD) oppress my people,
    women rule over them.
My people, your guides lead you astray;(AE)
    they turn you from the path.

13 The Lord takes his place in court;(AF)
    he rises to judge(AG) the people.
14 The Lord enters into judgment(AH)
    against the elders and leaders of his people:
“It is you who have ruined my vineyard;
    the plunder(AI) from the poor(AJ) is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing my people(AK)
    and grinding(AL) the faces of the poor?”(AM)
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.(AN)

16 The Lord says,
    “The women of Zion(AO) are haughty,
walking along with outstretched necks,(AP)
    flirting with their eyes,
strutting along with swaying hips,
    with ornaments jingling on their ankles.
17 Therefore the Lord will bring sores on the heads of the women of Zion;
    the Lord will make their scalps bald.(AQ)

18 In that day(AR) the Lord will snatch away their finery: the bangles and headbands and crescent necklaces,(AS) 19 the earrings and bracelets(AT) and veils,(AU) 20 the headdresses(AV) and anklets and sashes, the perfume bottles and charms, 21 the signet rings and nose rings,(AW) 22 the fine robes and the capes and cloaks,(AX) the purses 23 and mirrors, and the linen garments(AY) and tiaras(AZ) and shawls.

24 Instead of fragrance(BA) there will be a stench;(BB)
    instead of a sash,(BC) a rope;
instead of well-dressed hair, baldness;(BD)
    instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;(BE)
    instead of beauty,(BF) branding.(BG)
25 Your men will fall by the sword,(BH)
    your warriors in battle.(BI)
26 The gates(BJ) of Zion will lament and mourn;(BK)
    destitute,(BL) she will sit on the ground.(BM)