责备以色列人

“以色列人啊,
要听耶和华责备你们的话,
责备我从埃及领出来的整个民族的话,
‘世上万族之中,我只拣选了你们,
所以我要因你们的罪恶而惩罚你们。’”

若非相约,
二人怎会同行呢?
若非捕到猎物,
狮子怎会在林中咆哮呢?
若非猎获食物,
猛狮怎会在洞中吼叫呢?
若非设下诱饵,
鸟儿怎会陷入网罗呢?
若非有什么陷进去,
网罗怎会收起来呢?
若城中响起号角,
居民岂不恐惧颤抖?
若灾祸降临城中,
岂不是耶和华的作为?
的确,主耶和华不向祂的仆人——众先知显明祂的计划,
就不会采取任何行动。
狮子吼叫,谁不惧怕呢?
主耶和华已发言,谁能不传讲呢?
要向亚实突和埃及的城堡宣告:
“你们要聚集到撒玛利亚的山上,
看看城中的混乱和暴虐之事。
10 他们不知正道,强取豪夺,
在他们的堡垒中积敛钱财。
这是耶和华说的。”
11 所以,主耶和华说:
“敌人要围攻此地,
攻破他们的防守,
抢掠他们的城堡。”

12 耶和华说:
“牧人从狮口中救羊,
只能夺回两条腿和一块耳朵。
同样,住在撒玛利亚的以色列人被救回的时候,
也仅剩一片床榻和一角卧椅。”
13 主——万军之上帝耶和华说:
“你们要听这话,去警告雅各家。
14 我追讨以色列人的罪时,
要摧毁伯特利的祭坛,
将祭坛的角砍落在地。
15 我要拆毁过冬和避暑的房屋,
捣毁象牙装饰的宫殿,
推倒许多宏伟的楼宇。
这是耶和华说的。”

以色列人哪,当听耶和华责备你们的话,责备我从埃及地领上来的全家,说:

“在地上万族中,我只认识你们;
因此,我必惩罚你们一切的罪孽。”

先知的任务

二人若不同心,
岂能同行呢?
狮子若无猎物,
岂会在林中咆哮呢?
少壮狮子若无所得,
岂会从洞里吼叫呢?
若未设圈套,
雀鸟岂能陷入地上的罗网呢?
罗网若无所得,
岂会从地上翻起呢?
城中若吹角,
百姓岂不战兢吗?
灾祸若临到一城,
岂非耶和华所降的吗?
主耶和华不会做任何事情,
除非先将奥秘指示他的仆人众先知。
狮子吼叫,谁不惧怕呢?
主耶和华既已说了,谁能不说预言呢?

撒玛利亚的结局

你们要在亚实突的宫殿
埃及地的宫殿传扬,说:
“要聚集在撒玛利亚的山上,
看城里有何等大的扰乱与欺压。”
10 “他们以暴力抢夺,
堆积在自己的宫殿里,
却不懂得行正直的事。”
这是耶和华说的。
11 所以主耶和华如此说:
“敌人必来围攻这地,
削弱你的势力,
抢掠你的宫殿。”

12 耶和华如此说:“牧人怎样从狮子口中抢回两条腿或耳朵的一小片,住撒玛利亚以色列人得救也是如此,不过抢回床的一角和床榻的靠枕[a]而已。”

13 主耶和华—万军之 神说:
“当听这话,警戒雅各家。
14 我惩罚以色列罪孽的日子,
也要惩罚伯特利的祭坛;
祭坛的角必被砍下,坠落于地。
15 我要拆毁过冬和避暑的房屋,
象牙的房屋必毁灭,
广厦豪宅都归无有。”
这是耶和华说的。

Footnotes

  1. 3.12 “床榻的靠枕”:原文另译“大马士革的床榻”或“床脚的一部分”。

Hear this word that the Lord hath spoken against you, O children of Israel, against the whole family which I brought up from the land of Egypt, saying,

You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.

Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing?

Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all?

Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?

Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.

The lion hath roared, who will not fear? the Lord God hath spoken, who can but prophesy?

Publish in the palaces at Ashdod, and in the palaces in the land of Egypt, and say, Assemble yourselves upon the mountains of Samaria, and behold the great tumults in the midst thereof, and the oppressed in the midst thereof.

10 For they know not to do right, saith the Lord, who store up violence and robbery in their palaces.

11 Therefore thus saith the Lord God; An adversary there shall be even round about the land; and he shall bring down thy strength from thee, and thy palaces shall be spoiled.

12 Thus saith the Lord; As the shepherd taketh out of the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear; so shall the children of Israel be taken out that dwell in Samaria in the corner of a bed, and in Damascus in a couch.

13 Hear ye, and testify in the house of Jacob, saith the Lord God, the God of hosts,

14 That in the day that I shall visit the transgressions of Israel upon him I will also visit the altars of Bethel: and the horns of the altar shall be cut off, and fall to the ground.

15 And I will smite the winter house with the summer house; and the houses of ivory shall perish, and the great houses shall have an end, saith the Lord.