1Woe to them that are at ease in Zion , and to them that are secure in the mountain of Samaria , the notable men of the chief of the nations , to whom the house of Israel come ! 2Pass ye unto Calneh , and see ; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great ; then go down to Gath of the Philistines : are they better than these kingdoms ? or is their border greater than your border ? 3— ye that put far away the evil day , and cause the seat of violence to come near ; 4that lie upon beds of ivory , and stretch themselves upon their couches , and eat the lambs out of the flock , and the calves out of the midst of the stall ; 5that sing idle songs to the sound of the viol ; that invent for themselves instruments of music , like David ; 6that drink wine in bowls , and anoint themselves with the chief oils ; but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph . 7Therefore shall they now go captive with the first that go captive ; and the revelry of them that stretched themselves shall pass away .
The Consequences of Indifference
8The Lord Jehovah hath sworn by himself , saith Jehovah , the God of hosts : I abhor the excellency of Jacob , and hate his palaces; therefore will I deliver up the city with all that is therein . 9And it shall come to pass , if there remain ten men in one house , that they shall die . 10And when a man ’s uncle shall take him up , even he that burneth him , to bring out the bones out of the house , and shall say unto him that is in the innermost parts of the house , Is there yet any with thee? and he shall say, No ; then shall he say, Hold thy peace ; for we may not make mention of the name of Jehovah . 11For , behold , Jehovah commandeth , and the great house shall be smitten with breaches , and the little house with clefts . 12Shall horses run upon the rock ? will one plow there with oxen ? that ye have turned justice into gall , and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood ; 13ye that rejoice in a thing of nought , that say , Have we not taken to us horns by our own strength ? 14For , behold , I will raise up against you a nation , O house of Israel , saith Jehovah , the God of hosts ; and they shall afflict you from the entrance of Hamath unto the brook of the Arabah .