5. Don’t worship at the pagan altars at Bethel;don’t go to the shrines at Gilgal or Beersheba.For the people of Gilgal will be dragged off into exile,and the people of Bethel will be reduced to nothing.”
6. Come back to the lord and live!Otherwise, he will roar through Israel like a fire,devouring you completely.Your gods in Bethelwon’t be able to quench the flames.
7. You twist justice, making it a bitter pill for the oppressed.You treat the righteous like dirt.
8. It is the lord who created the stars,the Pleiades and Orion.He turns darkness into morningand day into night.He draws up water from the oceansand pours it down as rain on the land.The lord is his name!
9. With blinding speed and power he destroys the strong,crushing all their defenses.
10. How you hate honest judges!How you despise people who tell the truth!
11. You trample the poor,stealing their grain through taxes and unfair rent.Therefore, though you build beautiful stone houses,you will never live in them.Though you plant lush vineyards,you will never drink wine from them.
12. For I know the vast number of your sinsand the depth of your rebellions.You oppress good people by taking bribesand deprive the poor of justice in the courts.