9:2 惟願我在曠野有行路人住宿之處,使我可以離開我的民出去;因他們都是行姦淫的,是行詭詐的一黨。
9:3 他們彎起舌頭像弓一樣,為要說謊話。他們在國中增長勢力,不是為行誠實,乃是惡上加惡,並不認識我。這是耶和華說的。
9:4 你們各人當謹防鄰舍,不可信靠弟兄;因為弟兄盡行欺騙,鄰舍都往來讒謗人。
9:5 他們各人欺哄鄰舍,不說真話;他們教舌頭學習說謊,勞勞碌碌地作孽。
9:6 你的住處在詭詐的人中;他們因行詭詐,不肯認識我。這是耶和華說的。
9:7 所以萬軍之耶和華如此說:看哪,我要將他們鎔化熬煉;不然,我因我百姓的罪該怎樣行呢?
9:8 他們的舌頭是毒箭,說話詭詐;人與鄰舍口說和平話,心卻謀害他。
9:9 耶和華說:我豈不因這些事討他們的罪呢?豈不報復這樣的國民呢?
Oh that I had in the desert
a travelers' lodging place,
that I might leave my people
and go away from them!
For they are all adulterers,
a company of treacherous men.
They bend their tongue like a bow;
falsehood and not truth has grown strong in
the land;
for they proceed from evil to evil,
and they do not know me, declares the Lord.
Let
everyone beware of his neighbor,
and put no trust in any brother,
for every brother is a deceiver,
and every neighbor goes about as a
slanderer.
Everyone deceives his neighbor,
and no one speaks the truth;
they have taught their tongue to speak
lies;
they weary themselves committing iniquity.
Heaping oppression upon oppression, and deceit upon deceit,
they refuse to know me, declares the Lord.
Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Behold, I will refine them and test them,
for what else can I do, because of my
people?
Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
it speaks deceitfully;
with his mouth each speaks peace to his
neighbor,
but in his heart he plans an ambush for
him.
Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord,
and shall I not avenge myself
on a nation such as this?
********
先知雖然是為百姓哀哭,但是他卻對他們的行徑感到厭惡!不喜歡他們行姦淫和詭詐,尤其是在這裡討論到他們的詭詐!
這就像主耶穌既是羔羊也是獅子。羔羊是因為他為我們的罪而死,為的是要愛我們,拯救我們!而祂是獅子,是因為祂恨惡罪惡,以獅子的面向來面對魔鬼,使魔鬼不要來傷害人!
也因為這樣,基督徒也要用這樣的原則面對人和惡者!