4. This is what the Lord says to the nation of Israel:Search for me and live!
5. But don’t search ⌊for me⌋ at Bethel.Don’t go to Gilgal.Don’t travel to Beersheba.Gilgal will certainly go into exile.Bethel will come to nothing.
6. Search for the Lord and live!If you don’t, he will spread like a fire through the house of Josephand burn it down.Bethel will have no one to put it out.
7. You, Israel, turn justice into poisonand throw righteousness on the ground.
8. God made the ⌊constellations⌋ Pleiades and Orion.He turns deep darkness into dawn.He turns day into night.He calls for water from the seato pour it over the face of the earth.His name is the Lord.
9. He destroys strongholds and ruins fortresses.
10. Israel, you hate anyone who speaks out against injustice.You are disgusted by anyone who speaks the truth.
11. You trample on the poorand take their wheat from them for taxes.That is why you build houses from hand-cut stones,but you will not live in them.You plant beautiful vineyards,but you will not drink their wine.
12. I know that your crimes are numerous and your sins are many.You oppress the righteous by taking bribes.You deny the needy access to the courts.
13. That is why a wise person remains silent at such times,because those times are so evil.
14. Search for good instead of evil so that you may live.Then the Lord God of Armies will be with you, as you have said.
15. Hate evil and love good.Then you will be able to have justice in your courts.Maybe the Lord God of Armieswill have pity on the faithful few of Joseph.
16. This is what the Lord, the Almighty God of Armies, says:There will be loud crying in every city square,and people will say in every street, “Oh, no!”They will call on farmers to mournand on professional mourners to cry loudly.