4:1 Hear 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!”
4:2 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness: Truly days are coming upon you when they shall drag you away with ropes, your children with fishhooks;
4:3 You shall go out through the breached walls one in front of the other, And you shall be exiled to Harmon— oracle of the Lord.
4:4 Come to Bethel and sin, to Gilgal and sin all the more! Each morning bring your sacrifices, every third day your tithes;
4:5 Burn leavened bread as a thanksgiving sacrifice, proclaim publicly your voluntary offerings, For so you love to do, Israelites— oracle of the Lord God.
4:6 Though 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 the Lord.
4:7 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;
4:8 Two or three cities staggered to another to drink water but were not satisfied; Yet you did not return to me— oracle of the Lord.
4:9 I 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 the Lord.
4:10 I sent upon you pestilence like that of Egypt; 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 the Lord.
4:11 I overthrew you as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah; you were like a brand plucked from the fire, Yet you did not return to me— oracle of the Lord.
4:12 Therefore thus I will do to you, Israel: and since I will deal thus with you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel!
4:13 The 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, the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!
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