1Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Moab,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;2.1 Heb cause it to return

because he burned to lime

the bones of the king of Edom.

2So I will send a fire on Moab,

and it shall devour the strongholds of Kerioth,

and Moab shall die amid uproar,

amid shouting and the sound of the trumpet;

3I will cut off the ruler from its midst,

and will kill all its officials with him,

says the LORD.

Judgement on Judah

4Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Judah,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;2.4 Heb cause it to return

because they have rejected the law of the LORD,

and have not kept his statutes,

but they have been led astray by the same lies

after which their ancestors walked.

5So I will send a fire on Judah,

and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.

Judgement on Israel

6Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Israel,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;2.6 Heb cause it to return

because they sell the righteous for silver,

and the needy for a pair of sandals—

7they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth,

and push the afflicted out of the way;

father and son go in to the same girl,

so that my holy name is profaned;

8they lay themselves down beside every altar

on garments taken in pledge;

and in the house of their God they drink

wine bought with fines they imposed.

9Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them,

whose height was like the height of cedars,

and who was as strong as oaks;

I destroyed his fruit above,

and his roots beneath.

10Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt,

and led you for forty years in the wilderness,

to possess the land of the Amorite.

11And I raised up some of your children to be prophets

and some of your youths to be nazirites.2.11 That is, those separated or those consecrated

Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?

says the LORD.

12But you made the nazirites2.12 That is, those separated or those consecrated drink wine,

and commanded the prophets,

saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’

13So, I will press you down in your place,

just as a cart presses down

when it is full of sheaves.2.13 Meaning of Heb uncertain

14Flight shall perish from the swift,

and the strong shall not retain their strength,

nor shall the mighty save their lives;

15those who handle the bow shall not stand,

and those who are swift of foot shall not save themselves,

nor shall those who ride horses save their lives;

16and those who are stout of heart among the mighty

shall flee away naked on that day,

says the LORD.