1For, behold, the Lord , the LORD of hosts , doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah the stay and the staff , the whole stay of bread , and the whole stay of water , 2The mighty man , and the man of war , the judge , and the prophet , and the prudent , and the ancient , 3The captain of fifty , and the honourable man , and the counsellor , and the cunning artificer , and the eloquent orator . 4And I will give children to be their princes , and babes shall rule over them. 5And the people shall be oppressed , every one by another , and every one by his neighbour : the child shall behave himself proudly against the ancient , and the base against the honourable .
The Collapse of Leadership
6When a man shall take hold of his brother of the house of his father , saying , Thou hast clothing , be thou our ruler , and let this ruin be under thy hand : 7In that day shall he swear , saying , I will not be an healer ; for in my house is neither bread nor clothing : make me not a ruler of the people . 8For Jerusalem is ruined , and Judah is fallen : because their tongue and their doings are against the LORD , to provoke the eyes of his glory . 9The shew of their countenance doth witness against them ; and they declare their sin as Sodom , they hide it not. Woe unto their soul ! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves. 10Say ye to the righteous , that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings . 11Woe unto the wicked ! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him. 12As for my people , children are their oppressors , and women rule over them. O my people , they which lead thee cause thee to err , and destroy the way of thy paths .
The Vanity of the Daughters of Zion
13The LORD standeth up to plead , and standeth to judge the people . 14The LORD will enter into judgment with the ancients of his people , and the princes thereof: for ye have eaten up the vineyard ; the spoil of the poor is in your houses . 15What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces , and grind the faces of the poor ? saith the Lord GOD of hosts . 16Moreover the LORD saith , Because the daughters of Zion are haughty , and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes , walking and mincing as they go , and making a tinkling with their feet : 17Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion , and the LORD will discover their secret parts . 18In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet , and their cauls , and their round tires like the moon , 19The chains , and the bracelets , and the mufflers , 20The bonnets , and the ornaments of the legs , and the headbands , and the tablets , and the earrings , 21The rings , and nose jewels , 22The changeable suits of apparel , and the mantles , and the wimples , and the crisping pins , 23The glasses , and the fine linen , and the hoods , and the vails . 24And it shall come to pass, that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink ; and instead of a girdle a rent ; and instead of well set hair baldness ; and instead of a stomacher a girding of sackcloth ; and burning instead of beauty . 25Thy men shall fall by the sword , and thy mighty in the war . 26And her gates shall lament and mourn ; and she being desolate shall sit upon the ground .