But I on my side withheld from you the winter rain, while it was still three months to the harvest, and I let it rain repeatedly on one city, and upon one city I did not let it rain: one piece was rained upon, and the piece that was not rained upon withered: and two or three cities kept struggling to one city for water, and were not satisfied--yet ye did not return to me--saith the Lord.
I smote you with blasting and with mildew: many of your gardens and your vineyards and your figs and your olives the locust devoured--yet ye did not return to me--saith the Lord.
I overturned among you, like God's own overturning of Sodom and Gomorrah, till ye became as a brand plucked from the burning--yet ye did not return to me--saith the Lord.
Therefore, thus shall I do to thee, O Israel: because I am going to do this to thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth to man what his thought is, that maketh the morning, darkness, and marcheth on the high places of the earth, the Lord God of Hosts his name.
V
THE OPPRESSION OF THE POOR
Seek ye Jehovah and live, lest he break forth like fire, O house of Joseph, and it consume and there be none to quench at Bethel. He that made the Pleiades and Orion, that turneth the deep shadow into morning, and day he darkeneth to night, that calleth for the waters of the sea and poureth them out on the face of the earth--Jehovah, his name. He it is that flasheth out ruin on strength, and bringeth down destruction on the fortified.
They that turn justice to wormwood, and abase righteousness to the earth! They hate him that reproveth in the gate and him that speaketh sincerely they abhor. Wherefore, because ye trample on the weak, and take from him a present of corn, ye shall have houses built of hewn stone, but ye shall not dwell in them: vineyards for pleasure have ye planted, but ye shall not drink of their wine. For I know how many are your crimes and how forceful your sins--ye that browbeat the righteous, take bribes and [{362}] turn aside the poor in the gate. Therefore the prudent in such a time is dumb, for an evil time it is.
Seek good and not evil, that ye may live, and Jehovah God of Hosts be with you as ye say he is. Hate evil and love good: and in the gate set justice on her feet again --it may be that Jehovah God of Hosts may have pity on the remnant of Joseph.
Therefore thus saith Jehovah, God of Hosts, Lord: On all the open ways, lamentation, and in all streets they shall be saying, "Ah woe! Ah woe!" And in all vineyards, lamentation, and they shall call the ploughman to wailing, and to lamentation them that are skilful in dirges, for I shall pass through their midst, saith Jehovah.