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Downfall of Jerusalem and Judah

For behold! The Lord, Adonai-Tzva’ot,
takes from Jerusalem and from Judah
    supply and support,
    every supply of bread
    and every supply of water,

mighty man and man of war,
    judge, and prophet,
    fortune-teller and elder,
captain of 50 and man of rank,
    counselor, crafty magician and cunning charmer.
I will set children as their rulers.
    Capricious ones will govern them.
The people will oppress one another—
    each one by his fellow,
    each one by his neighbor.
The child will be insolent to the aged,
    and dishonarable to the honorable.
When a man takes hold of his brother
    in the house of his father, saying:
“You have a cloak, you be our ruler!
    This ruin is under your charge.”
In that day he will protest, saying:
    “I’m no healer!
In my house is no bread or cloak.
    Don’t make me a ruler of people!”

For Jerusalem has stumbled,
    and Judah is fallen.
For their tongue and their actions
    are against Adonai,
    defying the eyes of His glory.
The expression of their faces
    bears witness against them.
They display their sin like Sodom—
    they do not hide it.
Oy, their souls!
For they brought evil on themselves.

The Judge Arises

10 Say to the righteous, he will be well,
    eating the fruit of their deeds.
11 Oy, the wicked! It will be bad for him,
    for the dealing of his hands will be done to him.

12 My people! Children are their oppressors
    and women rule over them.
My people! Your guides mislead you
    and destroy the way of your paths.

13 Adonai arises to contend a case,
    and stands to judge the people.
14 Adonai will enter into judgment
    with the elders of His people and with the princes:
“You have devoured the vineyard.
    The plunder of the poor is in your houses.
15 What do you mean by crushing My people
    and grinding the face of the poor?”
says Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot.

16 Moreover Adonai says:
“Since the Daughters of Zion are proud,
    and walk with outstretched necks and seductive eyes,
walking and mincing as they go,
    making a jingling with their feet,
17 therefore Adonai will smite with a scab the forehead of the Daughters of Zion.
    Adonai will expose their secret parts.

18 In that day Adonai will strip the finery of anklets, headbands, crescents, 19 pendants and bracelets, veils, 20 headdresses, armlets, sashes, perfume vials, amulets, 21 rings and nose-jewels, 22 festal robes, capes, cloaks, purses, 23 lace scarves, fine linen, turbans and veils.

24 Now it will come to pass:
Instead of sweet spices there will be rottenness;
    instead of a sash, rags;
instead of curled hair, baldness;
    instead of fine clothing, sackcloth;
and branding instead of beauty.
25 Your men will fall by the sword,
    and your warriors in battle.
26 Her gates will lament and mourn.
    Desolate, she will 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)