God

I will pull up your sacred poles from among you and destroy your enemies.

I will wreak vengeance in anger and fury on the nations, because they would not listen."

So listen now to what ADONAI says: "Stand up and state your case to the mountains, let the hills hear what you have to say."

Listen, mountains, to ADONAI's case; also you enduring rocks that support the earth! ADONAI has a case against his people; he wants to argue it out with Isra'el:

"My people, what have I done to you? How have I wearied you? Answer me!

I brought you up from the land of Egypt. I redeemed you from a life of slavery. I sent Moshe, Aharon and Miryam to lead you.

My people, just remember what Balak the king of Mo'av had planned, what Bil'am the son of B'or answered him, [and what happened] between Sheetim and Gilgal - so that you will understand the saving deeds of ADONAI."

"With what can I come before ADONAI to bow down before God on high? Should I come before him with burnt offerings? with calves in their first year?

Would ADONAI take delight in thousands of rams with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Could I give my firstborn to pay for my crimes, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?"

Human being, you have already been told what is good, what ADONAI demands of you - no more than to act justly, love grace and walk in purity with your God.

The voice of ADONAI! He calls to the city - and it is wisdom to fear your name - "Listen to the rod and to him who commissioned it.

Should I declare innocent wicked scales and a bag of fraudulent weights?

"Therefore, I am starting to strike you down, to destroy you because of your sins.

You will eat but not be satisfied, with hunger gnawing inside you. You will conceive but not give birth; if you do give birth, I will give him to the sword.

For you keep the regulations of 'Omri and all the practices of the house of Ach'av, modeling yourselves on their advice. Therefore I will make you an object of horror, the inhabitants of this city a cause for contempt; you will suffer the insults aimed at my people."

But as for me, I will look to ADONAI, I will wait for the God of my salvation; my God will hear me.

Enemies of mine, don't gloat over me! Although I have fallen, I will rise; though I live in the dark, ADONAI is my light.

I will endure ADONAI's rage, because I sinned against him; until he pleads my cause and judges in my favor. Then he will bring me out to the light, and I will see his justice.

My enemies will see it too, and shame will cover those who said to me, "Where is ADONAI your God?" I will gloat over them, as they are trampled underfoot like mud in the streets.

Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock that belongs to you, who live alone, like a forest in the middle of a fertile pasture. Let them feed in Bashan and Gil'ad, as they did in days of old.

"As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them wonders."

They will lick the dust like snakes; they will emerge from their fortresses trembling like reptiles that crawl about on the earth; they will come with fear to ADONAI our God, afraid because of you.

Who is a God like you, pardoning the sin and overlooking the crimes of the remnant of his heritage? He does not retain his anger forever, because he delights in grace.

He will again have compassion on us, he will subdue our iniquities. You will throw all their sins into the depths of the sea.

You will show truth to Ya'akov and grace to Avraham, as you have sworn to our ancestors since days of long ago.