Study Desk

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

And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?

"You who hate good and love evil, Who tear off their skin from them And their flesh from their bones,

Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;

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

Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

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

Then shall they cry unto the Lord , but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

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

Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

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

Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

The seers will be put to shame, And the diviners will be ashamed. Indeed, they will all cover their lips Because there is no answer from God.

Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

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

But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord , and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

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

Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

Who build Zion with bloodshed, And Jerusalem with malice.

They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

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

The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord , and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.

Therefore on account of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins, And the mountain of the temple will become high places of a forest.

Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.