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1Look, the sovereign Lord who commands armies[#tn Heb “the master, the Lord who commands armies [traditionally, the Lord of hosts].” On the title “the Lord who commands armies,” see the note at 1:9.]
is about to remove from Jerusalem and Judah
every source of security, including
all the food and water,
2the mighty men and warriors,
judges and prophets,
omen readers and leaders,
3captains of groups of fifty,
the respected citizens,
advisers and those skilled in magical arts,
and those who know incantations.
4The Lord says, “I will make youths their officials;[#tn The words “the Lord says” are supplied in the translation for clarification. The prophet speaks in vv. 1-3 (note the third person reference to the Lord in v. 1), but here the Lord himself announces that he will intervene in judgment. It is unclear where the Lord’s words end and the prophet’s pick up again. The prophet is apparently speaking again by v. 8, where the Lord is referred to in the third person. Since vv. 4-7 comprise a thematic unity, the quotation probably extends through v. 7.]
malicious young men will rule over them.
5The people will treat each other harshly;
men will oppose each other;
neighbors will fight.
Youths will proudly defy the elderly
and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected.
6Indeed, a man will grab his brother
right in his father’s house and say,
‘You own a coat –
you be our leader!
This heap of ruins will be under your control.’
7At that time the brother will shout,[#tn Or “in that day” (KJV).; #tn Heb “he will lift up [his voice].”]
‘I am no doctor,
I have no food or coat in my house;
don’t make me a leader of the people!’”
8Jerusalem certainly stumbles,
Judah falls,
for their words and their actions offend the Lord ;
they rebel against his royal authority.
9The look on their faces testifies to their guilt;[#sn This refers to their proud, arrogant demeanor.; #tn Heb “answers against them”; NRSV “bears witness against them.”]
like the people of Sodom they openly boast of their sin.
Too bad for them!
For they bring disaster on themselves.
10Tell the innocent it will go well with them,[#tn Or “the righteous” (KJV, NASB, NIV, TEV); NLT “those who are godly.”; #tn Heb “that it is good.”]
for they will be rewarded for what they have done.
11Too bad for the wicked sinners!
For they will get exactly what they deserve.
12Oppressors treat my people cruelly;[#sn This may refer to the prophet or to the Lord.]
creditors rule over them.
My people’s leaders mislead them;
they give you confusing directions.
13The Lord takes his position to judge;
he stands up to pass sentence on his people.
14The Lord comes to pronounce judgment
on the leaders of his people and their officials.
He says, “It is you who have ruined the vineyard!
You have stashed in your houses what you have stolen from the poor.
15Why do you crush my people
and grind the faces of the poor?”
The sovereign Lord who commands armies has spoken.
16The Lord says,
“The women of Zion are proud.
They walk with their heads high
and flirt with their eyes.
They skip along
and the jewelry on their ankles jingles.
17So the sovereign master will afflict the foreheads of Zion’s women with skin diseases,[#tn In the Hebrew text vv. 16-17 and one long sentence, “Because the daughters of Zion are proud and walk…, the sovereign master will afflict….” In v. 17 the Lord refers to himself in the third person.; #tn The Hebrew term translated “sovereign master” here and in v. 18 is אֲדֹנָי (’adonay).; #tn Heb “the daughters of Zion.”; #tn Or “a scab” (KJV, ASV); NIV, NCV, CEV “sores.”]
the Lord will make the front of their heads bald.”
18At that time the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry, neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments,[#sn The translation assumes that the direct quotation ends with v. 17. The introductory formula “in that day” and the shift from a poetic to prosaic style indicate that a new speech unit begins in v. 18.; #tn Or “in that day” (KJV).; #tn Or “the beauty of [their] ankle jewelry.”]
19earrings, bracelets, veils,
20headdresses, ankle ornaments, sashes, sachets, amulets,[#tn Heb “houses of breath.” HALOT 124 s.v. בַּיִת defines them as “scent-bottles”; cf. NAB, NRSV “perfume boxes.”]
21rings, nose rings,
22festive dresses, robes, shawls, purses,
23garments, vests, head coverings, and gowns.[#tn The precise meaning of many of the words in this list is uncertain.sn The rhetorical purpose for such a lengthy list is to impress on the audience the guilt of these women with their proud, materialistic attitude, whose husbands and fathers have profited at the expense of the poor.]
24A putrid stench will replace the smell of spices,[#tn Heb “and it will be in place of spices there will be a stench.” The nouns for “spices” and “stench” are right next to each other in the MT for emphatic contrast. The verb that introduces this verse serves as a discourse particle and is untranslated; see note on “in the future” in 2:2.]
a rope will replace a belt,
baldness will replace braided locks of hair,
a sackcloth garment will replace a fine robe,
and a prisoner’s brand will replace beauty.
25Your men will fall by the sword,[#tn The pronoun is feminine singular, suggesting personified Zion, as representative of its women, is the addressee. The reference to “her gates’ in v. 26 makes this identification almost certain.]
your strong men will die in battle.
26Her gates will mourn and lament;
deprived of her people, she will sit on the ground.