2
1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds!
When the morning is light, they practise it,
Because it is in the power of their hand.
2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence;
And houses, and take them away:
So they oppress a man and his house,
Even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore thus saith the Lord;
Behold, against this family do I devise an evil,
From which ye shall not remove your necks;
Neither shall ye go haughtily:
For this time is evil.
4 In that day shall one take up a parable against you,
And lament with a doleful lamentation,
And say, We be utterly spoiled:
He hath changed the portion of my people:
How hath he removed it from me!
Turning away he hath divided our fields.
5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot
In the congregation of the Lord.
6 Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy:
They shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
7 O thou that art named the house of Jacob,
Is the spirit of the Lord straitened?
Are these his doings?
Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
8 Even of late my people is risen up as an enemy:
Ye pull off the robe with the garment
From them that pass by securely as men averse from war.
9 The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses;
From their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest:
Because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11 If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying,
I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink;
He shall even be the prophet of this people.
12 I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee;
I will surely gather the remnant of Israel;
I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah,
As the flock in the midst of their fold:
They shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men.
13 The breaker is come up before them:
They have broken up, and have passed through the gate, and are gone out by it:
And their king shall pass before them,
And the Lord on the head of them.