Study Desk

And I said, "^(C1)Hear now, you ^(F1)leaders of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to ^(C2)know justice?

-"You who hate good and love evil, Who ^(C1)tear off their skin from them And their flesh from their bones,

Who ^(C1)eat the flesh of my people, Strip off their skin from them, Smash their bones, And ^(C2)chop them up as for the pot, And as meat in a cauldron!"

Then they will ^(C1)cry out to the LORD, But He will not answer them. Instead, He will ^(C2)hide His face from them at that time Because they have ^(C3)practiced evil deeds.

This is what the LORD says concerning the prophets who ^(C1)lead my people astray: When they have something to bite with their teeth, They ^(C2)cry out, "Peace!" But against him who puts nothing in their mouths They declare holy war.

Therefore it will be ^(C1)night for you—without vision, And darkness for you—without divination. The ^(C2)sun will go down on the prophets, And the day will become dark over them.

The seers will be ^(C1)put to shame, And the ^(C2)diviners will be ashamed. Indeed, they will all ^(C3)cover their ^(F1)lips Because there is ^(C4)no answer from God.

On the other hand, ^(C1)I am filled with power— With the Spirit of the LORD— And with justice and courage To ^(C2)make known to Jacob his rebellious act, And to Israel his sin.

Now hear this, you ^(C1)heads of the house of Jacob And rulers of the house of Israel, Who ^(C2)despise justice And twist everything that is straight,

Who ^(C1)build Zion with bloodshed, And Jerusalem with malice.

Her leaders pronounce ^(C1)judgment for a bribe, Her ^(C2)priests teach for pay, And her prophets divine for money. Yet they lean on the LORD, saying, "^(C3)Is the LORD not in our midst? Catastrophe will not come upon us."

Therefore on account of you, ^(C1)Zion will be plowed like a field, ^(C2)Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, And the ^(C3)mountain of the ^(F1)temple will become high places of a forest.