46¹ Bel bows down, Nebo stoops, their idols are on beasts and cattle; these things you carry are loaded as burdens on weary animals. ² They stoop, they bow down together; they cannot save the burden, but themselves go into captivity. ³ Listen to me, O house of Jacob, all the remnant of the house of Israel, who have been borne by me from your birth, carried from the womb; ⁴ even to your old age I am he, even when you turn gray I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save.

⁵ To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, as though we were alike? ⁶ Those who lavish gold from the purse, and weigh out silver in the scales- they hire a goldsmith, who makes it into a god; then they fall down and worship! ⁷ They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it, they set it in its place, and it stands there; it cannot move from its place. If one cries out to it, it does not answer or save anyone from trouble. ⁸ Remember this and consider, recall it to mind, you transgressors, ⁹ remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me, ¹⁰ declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, "My purpose shall stand, and I will fulfill my intention," ¹¹ calling a bird of prey from the east, the man for my purpose from a far country. I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass; I have planned, and I will do it. ¹² Listen to me, you stubborn of heart, you who are far from deliverance: ¹³ I bring near my deliverance, it is not far off, and my salvation will not tarry; I will put salvation in Zion, for Israel my glory.

The LORD's Judgment on Judah and Jerusalem

3¹ For now the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts, is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah support and staff- all support of bread, and all support of water- ² warrior and soldier, judge and prophet, diviner and elder, ³ captain of fifty and dignitary, counselor and skillful magician and expert enchanter. ⁴ And I will make boys their princes, and babes shall rule over them. ⁵ The people will be oppressed, everyone by another and everyone by a neighbor; the youth will be insolent to the elder, and the base to the honorable. ⁶ Someone will even seize a relative, a member of the clan, saying, "You have a cloak; you shall be our leader, and this heap of ruins shall be under your rule." ⁷ But the other will cry out on that day, saying, "I will not be a healer; in my house there is neither bread nor cloak; you shall not make me leader of the people." ⁸ For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying his glorious presence.

⁹ The look on their faces bears witness against them; they proclaim their sin like Sodom, they do not hide it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves. ¹⁰ Tell the innocent how fortunate they are, for they shall eat the fruit of their labors. ¹¹ Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are, for what their hands have done shall be done to them. ¹² My people-children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. O my people, your leaders mislead you, and confuse the course of your paths. ¹³ The Lord rises to argue his case; he stands to judge the peoples. ¹⁴ The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of his people: It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses. ¹⁵ What do you mean by crushing my people, by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.

Judgment on the Daughters of Zion

¹⁶ The Lord said: Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with outstretched necks, glancing wantonly with their eyes, mincing along as they go, tinkling with their feet; ¹⁷ the Lord will afflict with scabs the heads of the daughters of Zion, and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts. ¹⁸ In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; ¹⁹ the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarfs; ²⁰ the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; ²¹ the signet rings and nose rings; ²² the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; ²³ the garments of gauze, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils. ²⁴ Instead of perfume there will be a stench; and instead of a sash, a rope; and instead of well-set hair, baldness; and instead of a rich robe, a binding of sackcloth; instead of beauty, shame. ²⁵ Your men shall fall by the sword and your warriors in battle. ²⁶ And her gates shall lament and mourn; ravaged, she shall sit upon the ground.