When Every Prop Is Removed
Judah loses the people who hold a society together, and no one wants the job of leading a ruin. Our Father brings his case against elders who ground the faces of the poor. The city's finery is itemized, then stripped. She ends sitting on the ground.
3 1For look—the Father of heaven's armies is about to strip from Jerusalem and from Judah every support and supply: the whole supply of bread and the whole supply of water, 2the warrior and the soldier, the judge and the prophet, the fortune-teller and the elder, 3the commander of fifty and the man of rank, the counselor, the skilled craftsman, and the clever enchanter.
4"I will make mere boys their officials, and childish whim will rule over them.
5The people will oppress one another, each man against his neighbor; the young will rise up against the old, and the lowly against the honored." 6A man will seize his brother in his father's house and say, "You have a coat—you be our leader; take charge of this heap of ruins." 7But on that day he will cry out, "I am no healer! There is no bread and no coat in my house—you will not make me leader of the people." 8For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their words and their deeds are against our Father, defying his glorious presence. 9The look on their faces testifies against them; they flaunt their sin like Sodom—they do not hide it. How terrible for them, for they have brought disaster on themselves! 10Tell the righteous it will go well with them, for they will eat the fruit of their deeds. 11How terrible for the wicked! It will go badly for him, for what his hands have done will be repaid to him. 12My people—children are their oppressors, and women rule over them. My people, your guides lead you astray and have swallowed up the path you should walk.
13Our Father takes his stand to bring his case; he rises to judge the peoples.
14Our Father enters into judgment with the elders and officials of his people: "It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. 15What do you mean by crushing my people and grinding the faces of the poor?" declares the Father of heaven's armies.
16Our Father said: "Because the daughters of Zion are proud—walking with outstretched necks and flirting eyes, mincing along with quick little steps, jingling the anklets on their feet, 17therefore the Sovereign Father will strike the heads of the daughters of Zion with scabs, and our Father will lay bare their foreheads."
18On that day the Sovereign Father will strip away their finery: the anklets, the headbands, the crescent ornaments, 19the earrings, the bracelets, the veils, 20the headdresses, the ankle chains, the sashes, the perfume flasks, the charms, 21the signet rings, the nose rings, 22the festival robes, the capes, the cloaks, the purses, 23the hand mirrors, the fine linen garments, the turbans, and the shawls.
24Then, instead of perfume there will be a stench; instead of a sash, a rope; instead of elegantly styled hair, baldness; instead of fine robes, a wrapping of coarse cloth; branding instead of beauty. 25Your men will fall by the sword, your warriors in the battle. 26Her gates will mourn and lament; stripped bare, she will sit on the ground.
