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“They bend their tongue,
    as their bow, for falsehood.
They have grown strong in the land,
    but not for truth;
for they proceed from evil to evil,
    and they don’t know me,” says Yahweh.
“Everyone beware of his neighbor,
    and don’t trust in any brother;
for every brother will utterly supplant,
    and every neighbor will go around like a slanderer.
Friends deceive each other,
    and will not speak the truth.
They have taught their tongue to speak lies.
    They weary themselves commiting iniquity.
Your habitation is in the middle of deceit.
    Through deceit, they refuse to know me,” says Yahweh.

Therefore Yahweh of Armies says,

“Behold, I will melt them and test them;
    for how should I deal with the daughter of my people?
Their tongue is a deadly arrow.
    It speaks deceit.
One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,
    but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.
Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says Yahweh.
    “Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on a nation such as this?

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Judgment for Disobedience

“My people bend their tongues like bows
    to shoot out lies.
They refuse to stand up for the truth.
    They only go from bad to worse.
They do not know me,”
    says the Lord.

“Beware of your neighbor!
    Don’t even trust your brother!
For brother takes advantage of brother,
    and friend slanders friend.
They all fool and defraud each other;
    no one tells the truth.
With practiced tongues they tell lies;
    they wear themselves out with all their sinning.
They pile lie upon lie
    and utterly refuse to acknowledge me,”
    says the Lord.

Therefore, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says:
“See, I will melt them down in a crucible
    and test them like metal.
What else can I do with my people?[a]
    For their tongues shoot lies like poisoned arrows.
They speak friendly words to their neighbors
    while scheming in their heart to kill them.
Should I not punish them for this?” says the Lord.
    “Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?”

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Footnotes

  1. 9:7 Hebrew with the daughter of my people? Greek version reads with the evil daughter of my people?