Woe to the Oppressors
1Woe 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.
2And 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.
3Therefore 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.
4In 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.
5Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the LORD.
The False Prophets
6Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.
7O 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?
8Even 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.
9The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.
10Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.
11If 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.
The Remnant of Israel
12I 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.
13The 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.
Woe to Oppressors
1 Woe to those who devise iniquity and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.
2 They covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore thus says Yahweh: “Behold, I am planning against these people a disaster, from which you will not remove your necks, neither will you walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.
4 In that day they will take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, saying, ‘We are utterly ruined! My people’s possession is divided up. Indeed he takes it from me and assigns our fields to traitors!’”
5 Therefore you will have no one who divides the land by lot in the assembly of Yahweh.
Reproof of False Prophets
(Ezekiel 13:1–16)
6 “Don’t prophesy!” They prophesy. “Don’t prophesy about these things. Disgrace won’t overtake us.”
7 Shall it be said, O house of Jacob: “Is the Spirit of Yahweh angry? Are these his doings? Don’t my words do good to him who walks blamelessly?”
8 But lately my people have risen up as an enemy. You strip the robe and clothing from those who pass by without a care, returning from battle.
9 You drive the women of my people out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my blessing forever.
10 Arise, and depart! For this is not your resting place, because of uncleanness that destroys, even with a grievous destruction.
11 If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood lies: “I will prophesy to you of wine and of strong drink;” he would be the prophet of this people.
The Remnant of Israel
(Micah 5:7–15)
12 I will surely assemble, Jacob, all of you; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture; they will swarm with people.
13 He who breaks open the way goes up before them. They break through the gate, and go out. And their king passes on before them, with Yahweh at their head.
Woe to Oppressors
1 Woe to those who devise iniquity
and plot evil on their beds!
At morning’s light they accomplish it
because the power is in their hands.
2 They covet fields and seize them;
they take away houses.
They deprive a man of his home,
a fellow man of his inheritance.
3 Therefore this is what the LORD says:
“I am planning against this nation a disaster
from which you cannot free your necks.
Then you will not walk so proudly,
for it will be a time of calamity.
4 In that day they will take up a proverb against you
and taunt you with this bitter lamentation:
‘We are utterly ruined!
He has changed the portion of my people.
How He has removed it from me!
He has allotted our fields to traitors.’ ”
5 Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD
to divide the land by lot.
Reproof of False Prophets
(Ezekiel 13:1–16)
6 “Do not preach,” they preach.
“Do not preach these things;
disgrace will not overtake us.”
7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob,
“Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient?
Are these the things He does?”
Do not My words bring good
to him who walks uprightly?
8 But of late My people have risen up
like an enemy:
You strip off the splendid robe
from unsuspecting passersby
like men returning from battle.
9 You drive the women of My people
from their pleasant homes.
You take away My blessing
from their children forever.
10 Arise and depart,
for this is not your place of rest,
because its defilement brings destruction—
a grievous destruction!
11 If a man of wind were to come
and say falsely,
“I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” a
he would be just the preacher for this people!
The Remnant of Israel
(Micah 5:7–15)
12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob;
I will collect the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in the midst of its pasture—
a noisy throng.
13 One who breaks open the way
will go up before them;
they will break through the gate,
and go out by it.
Their King will pass through before them,
the LORD as their leader.
Footnotes:
11 a Or “I will prophesy to you for wine and strong drink”
Woe to the Oppressors
1Woe to those devising iniquity, And working evil on their beds, In the light of the morning they do it, For their hand is -- to God.
2And they have desired fields, And they have taken violently, And houses, and they have taken away, And have oppressed a man and his house, Even a man and his inheritance.
3Therefore, thus said Jehovah: Lo, I am devising against this family evil, From which ye do not remove your necks, Nor walk loftily, for a time of evil it is.
4In that day doth one take up for you a simile, And he hath wailed a wailing of woe, He hath said, We have been utterly spoiled, The portion of my people He doth change, How doth He move toward me! To the backslider our fields He apportioneth.
5Therefore, thou hast no caster of a line by lot In the assembly of Jehovah.
The False Prophets
6Ye do not prophesy -- they do prophesy, They do not prophesy to these, It doth not remove shame.
7Doth the house of Jacob say, 'Hath the Spirit of Jehovah been shortened? Are these His doings?' Do not My words benefit the people that is walking uprightly?
8And yesterday My people for an enemy doth raise himself up, From the outer garment the honourable ornament ye strip off, From the confident passers by, Ye who are turning back from war.
9The women of My people ye cast out from its delightful house, From its sucklings ye take away My honour to the age.
10Rise and go, for this is not the rest, Because of uncleanness it doth corrupt, And corruption is powerful.
11If one is going with the wind, And with falsehood hath lied: 'I prophesy to thee of wine, and of strong drink,' He hath been the prophet of this people!
The Remnant of Israel
12I do surely gather thee, O Jacob, all of thee, I surely bring together the remnant of Israel, Together I do set it as the flock of Bozrah, As a drove in the midst of its pasture, It maketh a noise because of man.
13Gone up hath the breaker before them, They have broken through, Yea, they pass through the gate, Yea, they go out through it, And pass on doth their king before them, And Jehovah at their head!
