“Seek^(A) me and live;^(B)
5     do not seek Bethel,
do not go to Gilgal,^(C)
    do not journey to Beersheba.^(D)
For Gilgal will surely go into exile,
    and Bethel will be reduced to nothing.^[a](E)”

⁸ He who made the Pleiades and Orion,^(A)
    who turns midnight into dawn^(B)
    and darkens day into night,^(C)
who calls for the waters of the sea
    and pours them out over the face of the land—
    the Lord is his name.^(D)
9 With a blinding flash he destroys the stronghold
    and brings the fortified city to ruin.^(E)

¹⁰ There are those who hate the one who upholds justice in court^(F)
    and detest the one who tells the truth.^(G)

¹¹ You levy a straw tax on the poor^(H)
    and impose a tax on their grain.
Therefore, though you have built stone mansions,^(I)
    you will not live in them;^(J)
though you have planted lush vineyards,
    you will not drink their wine.^(K)
12 For I know how many are your offenses
    and how great your sins.^(L)

There are those who oppress the innocent and take bribes^(M)
    and deprive the poor^(N) of justice in the courts.^(O)
13 Therefore the prudent keep quiet^(P) in such times,
    for the times are evil.^(Q)

¹⁴ Seek good, not evil,
    that you may live.^(R)
Then the Lord God Almighty will be with you,
    just as you say he is.

²¹ “I hate,^(A) I despise your religious festivals;^(B)
    your assemblies^(C) are a stench to me.
²² Even though you bring me burnt offerings^(D) and grain offerings,
    I will not accept them.^(E)
Though you bring choice fellowship offerings,
    I will have no regard for them.^(F)
23 Away with the noise of your songs!
    I will not listen to the music of your harps.^(G)
24 But let justice^(H) roll on like a river,
    righteousness^(I) like a never-failing stream!^(J)

²⁵ “Did you bring me sacrifices^(K) and offerings
    forty years^(L) in the wilderness, people of Israel?
²⁶ You have lifted up the shrine of your king,
    the pedestal of your idols,^(M)
    the star of your god^[a]—
    which you made for yourselves.
²⁷ Therefore I will send you into exile^(N) beyond Damascus,”
    says the Lord, whose name is God Almighty.^(O)

⁴ The King^(K) is mighty, he loves justice^(L)—
    you have established equity;^(M)
in Jacob you have done
    what is just and right.^(N)
5 Exalt^(O) the Lord our God
    and worship at his footstool;
    he is holy.

⁶ Moses^(P) and Aaron^(Q) were among his priests,
    Samuel^(R) was among those who called on his name;
they called on the Lord
    and he answered^(S) them.
⁷ He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud;^(T)
    they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.

⁸ Lord our God,
    you answered them;
you were to Israel a forgiving God,^(U)
    though you punished^(V) their misdeeds.^[a]
9 Exalt the Lord our God
    and worship at his holy mountain,
    for the Lord our God is holy.