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26 “If the skies are shut up and there is no rain because your people have sinned against you, and if they pray toward this Temple and acknowledge your name and turn from their sins because you have punished them,

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26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(A) because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,

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23 The skies above will be as unyielding as bronze, and the earth beneath will be as hard as iron.

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23 The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron.(A)

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17 If you do, the Lord’s anger will burn against you. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you.

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17 Then the Lord’s anger(A) will burn against you, and he will shut up(B) the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce,(C) and you will soon perish(D) from the good land the Lord is giving you.

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19 I will break your proud spirit by making the skies as unyielding as iron and the earth as hard as bronze.

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19 I will break down your stubborn pride(A) and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.(B)

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They have power to shut the sky so that no rain will fall for as long as they prophesy. And they have the power to turn the rivers and oceans into blood, and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they wish.

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They have power to shut up the heavens(A) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(B) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(C) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

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“Go ahead and offer sacrifices to the idols at Bethel.
    Keep on disobeying at Gilgal.
Offer sacrifices each morning,
    and bring your tithes every three days.
Present your bread made with yeast
    as an offering of thanksgiving.
Then give your extra voluntary offerings
    so you can brag about it everywhere!
This is the kind of thing you Israelites love to do,”
    says the Sovereign Lord.

“I brought hunger to every city
    and famine to every town.
But still you would not return to me,”
    says the Lord.

“I kept the rain from falling
    when your crops needed it the most.
I sent rain on one town
    but withheld it from another.
Rain fell on one field,
    while another field withered away.
People staggered from town to town looking for water,
    but there was never enough.
But still you would not return to me,”
    says the Lord.

“I struck your farms and vineyards with blight and mildew.
    Locusts devoured all your fig and olive trees.
But still you would not return to me,”
    says the Lord.

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“Go to Bethel(A) and sin;
    go to Gilgal(B) and sin yet more.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,(C)
    your tithes(D) every three years.[a](E)
Burn leavened bread(F) as a thank offering
    and brag about your freewill offerings(G)
boast about them, you Israelites,
    for this is what you love to do,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.

“I gave you empty stomachs in every city
    and lack of bread in every town,
    yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.(H)

“I also withheld(I) rain from you
    when the harvest was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town,
    but withheld it from another.(J)
One field had rain;
    another had none and dried up.
People staggered from town to town for water(K)
    but did not get enough(L) to drink,
    yet you have not returned(M) to me,”
declares the Lord.(N)

“Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
    destroying them with blight and mildew.(O)
Locusts(P) devoured your fig and olive trees,(Q)
    yet you have not returned(R) to me,”
declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Amos 4:4 Or days

15 Blow the ram’s horn in Jerusalem!
    Announce a time of fasting;
call the people together
    for a solemn meeting.
16 Gather all the people—
    the elders, the children, and even the babies.
Call the bridegroom from his quarters
    and the bride from her private room.
17 Let the priests, who minister in the Lord’s presence,
    stand and weep between the entry room to the Temple and the altar.
Let them pray, “Spare your people, Lord!
    Don’t let your special possession become an object of mockery.
Don’t let them become a joke for unbelieving foreigners who say,
    ‘Has the God of Israel left them?’”

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15 Blow the trumpet(A) in Zion,(B)
    declare a holy fast,(C)
    call a sacred assembly.(D)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate(E) the assembly;
bring together the elders,(F)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom(G) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister(H) before the Lord,
    weep(I) between the portico and the altar.(J)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,(K)
    a byword(L) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?(M)’”

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13 Dress yourselves in burlap and weep, you priests!
    Wail, you who serve before the altar!
Come, spend the night in burlap,
    you ministers of my God.
For there is no grain or wine
    to offer at the Temple of your God.
14 Announce a time of fasting;
    call the people together for a solemn meeting.
Bring the leaders
    and all the people of the land
into the Temple of the Lord your God,
    and cry out to him there.
15 The day of the Lord is near,
    the day when destruction comes from the Almighty.
    How terrible that day will be!

16 Our food disappears before our very eyes.
    No joyful celebrations are held in the house of our God.
17 The seeds die in the parched ground,
    and the grain crops fail.
The barns stand empty,
    and granaries are abandoned.
18 How the animals moan with hunger!
    The herds of cattle wander about confused,
because they have no pasture.
    The flocks of sheep and goats bleat in misery.

19 Lord, help us!
The fire has consumed the wilderness pastures,
    and flames have burned up all the trees.
20 Even the wild animals cry out to you
    because the streams have dried up,
    and fire has consumed the wilderness pastures.

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A Call to Lamentation

13 Put on sackcloth,(A) you priests, and mourn;
    wail, you who minister(B) before the altar.
Come, spend the night in sackcloth,
    you who minister before my God;
for the grain offerings and drink offerings(C)
    are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Declare a holy fast;(D)
    call a sacred assembly.
Summon the elders
    and all who live in the land(E)
to the house of the Lord your God,
    and cry out(F) to the Lord.(G)

15 Alas for that(H) day!
    For the day of the Lord(I) is near;
    it will come like destruction from the Almighty.[a](J)

16 Has not the food been cut off(K)
    before our very eyes—
joy and gladness(L)
    from the house of our God?(M)
17 The seeds are shriveled
    beneath the clods.[b](N)
The storehouses are in ruins,
    the granaries have been broken down,
    for the grain has dried up.
18 How the cattle moan!
    The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;(O)
    even the flocks of sheep are suffering.(P)

19 To you, Lord, I call,(Q)
    for fire(R) has devoured the pastures(S) in the wilderness
    and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.
20 Even the wild animals pant for you;(T)
    the streams of water have dried up(U)
    and fire has devoured the pastures(V) in the wilderness.

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Footnotes

  1. Joel 1:15 Hebrew Shaddai
  2. Joel 1:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

15 Then I will return to my place
    until they admit their guilt and turn to me.
For as soon as trouble comes,
    they will earnestly search for me.”

A Call to Repentance

“Come, let us return to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces;
    now he will heal us.
He has injured us;
    now he will bandage our wounds.

15 Then I will return to my lair(A)
    until they have borne their guilt(B)
    and seek my face(C)
in their misery(D)
    they will earnestly seek me.(E)

Israel Unrepentant

“Come, let us return(F) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(G)
    but he will heal us;(H)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.(I)

27 And if wicked people turn from their wickedness, obey the law, and do what is just and right, they will save their lives. 28 They will live because they thought it over and decided to turn from their sins. Such people will not die. 29 And yet the people of Israel keep saying, ‘The Lord isn’t doing what’s right!’ O people of Israel, it is you who are not doing what’s right, not I.

30 “Therefore, I will judge each of you, O people of Israel, according to your actions, says the Sovereign Lord. Repent, and turn from your sins. Don’t let them destroy you! 31 Put all your rebellion behind you, and find yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O people of Israel? 32 I don’t want you to die, says the Sovereign Lord. Turn back and live!

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27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.(A) 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.(B) 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!(C) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.(D) 31 Rid(E) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart(F) and a new spirit. Why(G) will you die, people of Israel?(H) 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent(I) and live!(J)

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13 “Son of man, suppose the people of a country were to sin against me, and I lifted my fist to crush them, cutting off their food supply and sending a famine to destroy both people and animals.

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13 “Son of man, if a country sins(A) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply(B) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,(C)

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Judah’s Terrible Drought

14 This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord, explaining why he was holding back the rain:

“Judah wilts;
    commerce at the city gates grinds to a halt.
All the people sit on the ground in mourning,
    and a great cry rises from Jerusalem.
The nobles send servants to get water,
    but all the wells are dry.
The servants return with empty pitchers,
    confused and desperate,
    covering their heads in grief.
The ground is parched
    and cracked for lack of rain.
The farmers are deeply troubled;
    they, too, cover their heads.
Even the doe abandons her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass in the field.
The wild donkeys stand on the bare hills
    panting like thirsty jackals.
They strain their eyes looking for grass,
    but there is none to be found.”

The people say, “Our wickedness has caught up with us, Lord,
    but help us for the sake of your own reputation.
We have turned away from you
    and sinned against you again and again.
O Hope of Israel, our Savior in times of trouble,
    why are you like a stranger to us?
Why are you like a traveler passing through the land,
    stopping only for the night?
Are you also confused?
    Is our champion helpless to save us?
You are right here among us, Lord.
    We are known as your people.
    Please don’t abandon us now!”

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Drought, Famine, Sword

14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(A)

“Judah mourns,(B)
    her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
    and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
The nobles send their servants for water;
    they go to the cisterns
    but find no water.(C)
They return with their jars unfilled;
    dismayed and despairing,
    they cover their heads.(D)
The ground is cracked
    because there is no rain in the land;(E)
the farmers are dismayed
    and cover their heads.
Even the doe in the field
    deserts her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.(F)
Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights(G)
    and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
    for lack of food.”(H)

Although our sins testify(I) against us,
    do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.(J)
For we have often rebelled;(K)
    we have sinned(L) against you.
You who are the hope(M) of Israel,
    its Savior(N) in times of distress,(O)
why are you like a stranger in the land,
    like a traveler who stays only a night?
Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
    like a warrior powerless to save?(P)
You are among(Q) us, Lord,
    and we bear your name;(R)
    do not forsake(S) us!

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50 This is what the Lord says:

“Was your mother sent away because I divorced her?
    Did I sell you as slaves to my creditors?
No, you were sold because of your sins.
    And your mother, too, was taken because of your sins.
Why was no one there when I came?
    Why didn’t anyone answer when I called?
Is it because I have no power to rescue?
    No, that is not the reason!
For I can speak to the sea and make it dry up!
    I can turn rivers into deserts covered with dying fish.

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Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience

50 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce(A)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell(B) you?
Because of your sins(C) you were sold;(D)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?(E)
Was my arm too short(F) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength(G) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke(H) I dry up the sea,(I)
    I turn rivers into a desert;(J)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.

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