1 Woe to the complacent in Zion, and to those who trust in the mountain of Samaria, the distinguished men of the foremost nation, to whom the house of Israel resorts!
2 Go across to Calneh and take a look; from there travel to great Hamath, and go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they any better than these kingdoms? Is their land any bigger than yours?
3 They thrust the day of calamity far off, yet bring near the throne of violence.
4 They lie on ivory beds and lounge on their couches; they dine on lambs taken from the flock and calves from inside the stall.
5 They improvise to the sound of the harp; like David they devise instruments of song for themselves.
6 They gulp wine from basins and rub on the choicest oils, but they feel no pain over Joseph's collapse.
7 So now they will lead the way into exile, and the feasting of the loungers will be over.
8 The Lord GOD has sworn by his own life, declares the LORD, the God of hosts: I loathe Jacob's pride and detest his fortresses; I will give up the city and all that fills it.
9 If ten men remain in a single house, they too will die.
10 When a kinsman, the one who is to burn him, lifts him to bring the bones out of the house, he will call to someone in the back of the house, "Is there anyone else with you?" and he will answer, "No one." Then he will say, "Quiet! The name of the LORD must not be mentioned."
11 For look, the LORD gives the order: the big house will be battered to rubble, and the little house to pieces.
12 Can horses gallop over crags? Can anyone plow them with oxen? Yet you have changed justice into venom and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood.
13 You are glad about Lo-debar and boast, "Was it not by our own might that we seized Karnaim?"
14 For see, house of Israel, declares the LORD, the God of hosts, I am raising up a nation against you, and it will squeeze you from Lebo-hamath down to the brook of the Arabah.