1Hear this word, you cows of Bashan,*

who live on the mount of Samaria:

Who oppress the destitute

and abuse the needy;

Who say to your husbands,

“Bring us a drink!”

2The LordGod has sworn by his holiness:

Truly days are coming upon you

when they shall drag you away with ropes,

your children with fishhooks;

3You shall go out through the breached walls

one in front of the other,

And you shall be exiled to Harmon—*

oracle of theLord.

4Come to Bethel* and sin,

to Gilgal and sin all the more!

Each morning bring your sacrifices,

every third day your tithes;

5Burn leavened bread as a thanksgiving sacrifice,

proclaim publicly your voluntary offerings,

For so you love to do, Israelites—

oracle of the LordGod.

6Though I made your teeth

clean of food in all your cities,

and made bread scarce in all your dwellings,

Yet you did not return to me—

oracle of theLord.a

7b And I withheld the rain from you

when the harvest was still three months away;

I sent rain upon one city

but not upon another;

One field was watered by rain,

but the one I did not water dried up;

8Two or three cities staggered to another to drink water

but were not satisfied;

Yet you did not return to me—

oracle of theLord.

9I struck you with blight and mildew;

locusts devoured your gardens and vineyards,

the caterpillar consumed your fig trees and olive trees;

Yet you did not return to me—

oracle of theLord.c

10I sent upon you pestilence like that of Egypt;d

with the sword I killed your young men and your captured horses,

and to your nostrils I brought the stench of your camps;

Yet you did not return to me—

oracle of theLord.

11I overthrew you

as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah;

you were like a brand plucked from the fire,e

Yet you did not return to me—

oracle of theLord.

12Therefore thus I will do to you,* Israel:

and since I will deal thus with you,

prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

13The one who forms mountains and creates winds,

and declares to mortals their thoughts;

Who makes dawn into darkness

and strides upon the heights of the earth,

theLord, the God of hosts, is his name!