CHAPTER 6

1  Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and that trust in the mountain of Samaria; they have gathered the harvest of the heads of the nations, and they have gone in themselves.

2  O house of Israel, pass by all of you, and see; and pass by from there to Hamath; and from there descend to Gath of the Philistines, the chief of all these kingdoms, see if their coasts are greater than your coasts.

3  You who are approaching the evil day, who are drawing near and adopting false sabbaths;

4  who sleep upon beds of ivory, and live delicately on their couches, and eat kids out of the flocks, and sucking calves out of the midst of the stalls;

5  who excel in the sound of musical instruments; they have regarded them as abiding, not as fleeting pleasures;

6  who drink strained wine, and anoint themselves with the best ointment, and have suffered nothing on occasion of the calamity of Joseph.

7  Therefore now shall they depart into captivity from the dominion of princes, and the neighing of horses shall be cut off from Ephraim.

8  For the Lord has sworn by Himself, saying, Because I abhor all the pride of Jacob, I do also hate his countries, and I will cut off his city with all who inhabit it.

9  And it shall come to pass, if there be ten men left in one house, that they shall die.

10  But a remnant shall be left behind, and their relations shall take them, and shall strenuously endeavor to carry forth their bones from the house; and one shall say to the heads of the house, Is there yet anyone else with you? (6:11) And he shall say, No one else. And the other shall say, Be silent, that you name not the name of the Lord.

11  (6:12) For, behold, the Lord commands, and He will smite the great house with breaches, and the little house with clefts.

12  (6:13) Will horses run upon rocks? Will they refrain from neighing at mares? For you have turned judgment into poison, and the fruit of righteousness into bitterness.

13  (6:14) You who rejoice at vanity, who say, Have we not possessed horns by our own strength?

14  (6:15) For behold, O house of Israel, I will raise up against you a nation, says the Lord of hosts, and they shall afflict you so that you shall not enter into Hamath, and as it were to the valley of the Arabah.