8. The Lord has pronounced judgement on the kingdom of Israel, on the descendants of Jacob.
9. All the people of Israel, everyone who lives in the city of Samaria, will know that he has done this. Now they are proud and arrogant. They say,
10. “The brick buildings have fallen down, but we will replace them with stone buildings. The beams of sycomore wood have been cut down, but we will replace them with the finest cedar.”
11. The Lord has stirred up their enemies to attack them.
12. Syria on the east and Philistia on the west have opened their mouths to devour Israel. Yet even so the Lord's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.
13. The people of Israel have not repented; even though the Lord Almighty has punished them, they have not returned to him.
14. In a single day the Lord will punish Israel's leaders and its people; he will cut them off, head and tail.
15. The old and honourable men are the head — and the tail is the prophets whose teachings are lies!