Add parallel Print Page Options

21 How the faithful city has become a prostitute!
    She was full of justice.
Righteousness lodged in her,
    but now there are murderers.
22 Your silver has become dross,
    your wine mixed with water.
23 Your princes are rebellious and companions of thieves.
    Everyone loves bribes and follows after rewards.
    They don’t defend the fatherless,
    neither does the cause of the widow come to them.

24 Therefore the Lord,[a] Yahweh of Armies,
    the Mighty One of Israel, says:
“Ah, I will get relief from my adversaries,
    and avenge myself on my enemies.
25 I will turn my hand on you,
    thoroughly purge away your dross,
    and will take away all your tin.[b]
26 I will restore your judges as at the first,
    and your counselors as at the beginning.
Afterward you shall be called ‘The city of righteousness,
    a faithful town.’

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 1:24 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”
  2. 1:25 tin is a metal that is separated from silver during the refining and purification process.

Zion will be redeemed

21 This faithful town has become a prostitute!
She was full of justice;
    righteousness lived in her—
    but now murderers.
22 Your silver has become impure;
    your beer is diluted with water.
23 Your princes are rebels,
    companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe and pursues gifts.
    They don’t defend the orphan,
    and the widow’s cause never reaches them.
24 Therefore, says the Lord God of heavenly forces,
    the mighty one of Israel:
Doom! I will vent my anger against my foes;
    I will take it out on my enemies,
25     and I will turn my hand against you.
I will refine your impurities as with lye,
    and remove all your cinders.
26 Then I will restore your judges as in earlier times,
    and your counselors as at the beginning.
After this you will be called Righteous City, Faithful Town.

Read full chapter