8The LORD sent a word into Jacob, and it fell upon Israel.9All the people—Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria—knew it in pride and in greatness of heart, saying,10The bricks have fallen, yet we will build with dressed stone; the sycamores have been cut down, yet we will replace them with cedars.11So the LORD raised up the adversaries of Rezin against him and stirred his enemies against him.12Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west devoured Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.13The people did not turn back to the one who struck them, nor did they seek the LORD of Hosts.14Therefore the LORD cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed, in a single day.15The elder and the honored man—he is the head; and the prophet who teaches lies—he is the tail.16Those who lead this people astray have become their guides, and those led by them have been swallowed up.17Therefore the LORD will not rejoice over their young men, nor will he have compassion on their orphans and widows, because everyone is godless and an evildoer, and every mouth speaks folly. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.18Wickedness burns like a fire; it consumes briers and thorns, kindles the thickets of the forest, and rolls upward in a column of smoke.19Through the wrath of the LORD of Hosts the land is burned up, and the people have become fuel for the fire; no one spares his brother.20They cut on the right hand but remain hungry; they eat on the left hand but are not satisfied; each devours the flesh of his own arm.21Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim devours Manasseh; together they are against Judah. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.
Chapter 10
1Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees and write oppressive statutes,2to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their rights, making widows their spoil and orphans their prey.3What will you do on the day of punishment, when devastation comes from afar? To whom will you flee for help, and where will you leave your glory,4so that you do not bow down among the prisoners or fall among the slain. For all this his anger has not turned away, and his hand is stretched out still.