The Hebrew Prophets

And I--I have brought you up from the land of Egypt, And cause you to go in a wilderness forty years, To possess the land of the Amorite.

And I raise of your sons for prophets, And of your choice ones for Nazarites, Is not this true, O sons of Israel? An affirmation of Jehovah.

And ye cause the Nazarites to drink wine, And on the prophets ye have laid a charge, Saying, `Do not prophecy!'

Lo, I am pressing you under, As the full cart doth press for itself a sheaf.

And perished hath refuge from the swift, And the strong strengtheneth not his power, And the mighty delivereth not his soul.

And the handler of the bow standeth not, And the swift with his feet delivereth not himself , And the rider of the horse delivereth not his soul.

And the courageous of heart among the mighty, Naked doth flee in that day, An affirmation of Jehovah!

Hear ye this word that Jehovah hath spoken concerning you, O sons of Israel, concerning all the family that I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying:

Only you I have known of all families of the land, Therefore I charge on you all your iniquities.

Do two walk together if they have not met?

Roar doth a lion in a forest and prey he hath none? Give out doth a young lion his voice from his habitation, If he hath not caught?

Doth a bird fall into a snare of the earth, And there is no gin for it? Doth a snare go up from the ground, And prey it captureth not?

Is a trumpet blown in a city, And do people not tremble? Is there affliction in a city, And Jehovah hath not done it ?

For the Lord Jehovah doth nothing, Except He hath revealed His counsel unto His servants the prophets.

A lion hath roared--who doth not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken--who doth not prophesy?

Sound ye unto palaces in Ashdod, And to palaces in the land of Egypt, and say: Be ye gathered on mountains of Samaria, And see many troubles within her, And oppressed ones in her midst.

And they have not known to act straightforwardly, An affirmation of Jehovah, Who are treasuring up violence and spoil in their palaces.

Therefore, thus said the Lord Jehovah: An adversary--and surrounding the land, And he hath brought down from thee thy strength, And spoiled have been thy palaces.

Thus said Jehovah: As the shepherd delivereth from the lion's mouth Two legs, or a piece of an ear, So delivered are the sons of Israel, Who are sitting in Samaria on the corner of a bed, And in Damascus on that of a couch.

Hear ye and testify to the house of Jacob, An affirmation of the Lord Jehovah, God of Hosts.

For in the day of My charging the transgressions of Israel on him, I have laid a charge on the altars of Beth-El, And cut off have been the horns of the altar, And they have fallen to the earth.

And I have smitten the winter-house with the summer-house, And perished have houses of ivory, And consumed have been many houses, An affirmation of Jehovah!

Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, Who are in the mountain of Samaria, Who are oppressing the poor, Who are bruising the needy, Who are saying to their lords: `Bring in, and we do drink.'

Sworn hath the Lord Jehovah by His holiness, That lo, days are coming upon you, And he hath taken you away with hooks, And your posterity with fish-hooks.

And by breaches ye go forth, A woman at that over-against her, And ye have cast down the high place, An affirmation of Jehovah.