Online Bible

Woe to Oppressors

Woe to those who ^adevise wrongdoing,Who practice evil on their beds!¹^bWhen morning comes, they do it,Because it is in the ^cpower of their hands.2 They ^acovet fields, so they ^bseize them;And houses, so they take them.They ¹^cexploit a man and his house,A person and his inheritance.

3 Therefore this is what the LORD says:“Behold, I am ^aplanning against this ^bfamily a catastropheFrom which you ^ccannot remove your necks;And you will not walk ^dhaughtily,For it will be an ^eevil time.

4 “On that day they will ^atake up against you a ¹song of mockingAnd ²^butter a song of mourning and say,‘We are completely ^cdestroyed!He exchanges the share of my people;How He removes it from me!To the apostate He ^dapportions our fields.’5 “Therefore you will have no one ¹^aapplying a measuring lineFor you by lot in the assembly of the LORD.

6 ‘^aDo not prophesy,’ so they prophesy.But if ¹they do ^bnot prophesy about these things,^cInsults will not be turned back.7 “Is it being said, house of Jacob:‘Is the Spirit of the LORD ^aimpatient?Are these His works?’Do My words not ^bdo goodFor the one ^cwalking rightly?8 “¹Recently My people have arisen as an ^aenemy—You ^bstrip the robe off the garmentFrom ^cunsuspecting passers-by,From those returned from war.9 “You ^aevict the women of My people,Each one from her pleasant house.From her children you take My ^bsplendor forever.10 “Arise and go,For this is no place ^aof restBecause of the ^buncleanness that brings on destruction,A painful destruction.11 “If someone walking after wind and ^afalsehoodHad lied and said,‘I will prophesy to you about ^bwine and liquor,’He would become a prophet to ^cthis people.

12 “I will certainly ^aassemble all of you, Jacob,I will certainly gather the ^bremnant of Israel.I will put them together like sheep in the fold;Like a flock in the midst of its pastureThey will be noisy with people.13 “The one who breaks through goes up before them;They break through, pass through the gate, and go out by it.So their king passes on before them,And the LORD at their head.”

An Evil Time

Woe to those who ^adevise wickedness,Who work out evil on their beds!^bWhen the light of the morning comes, they do it,For it is in the ^cpower of their hands.2 And they ^acovet fields and then ^btear them away,And houses, and take them away.And they ^coppress a man and his house,A man and his inheritance.

3 Therefore thus says Yahweh,“Behold, I am ^adevising against this ^bfamily an evil demiseFrom which you ^ccannot remove your necks;And you will not walk ^dhaughtily,For it will be an ^eevil time.

4 “On that day they will ^atake up against you a ¹tauntAnd ²^butter a bitter wailing and say,‘We are completely ^cdevastated!He exchanges the portion of my people;How He removes it from me!To the faithless one, He ^dapportions our fields.’5 “Therefore you will have no one ¹^astretching a measuring lineFor you by lot in the assembly of Yahweh.

6 ‘^aDo not speak, dripping out words,’ they say while dripping out words.But if ¹they do ^bnot drip out words concerning these things,^cDishonor will not be turned back.7 “Is it being said, O house of Jacob:‘Is the Spirit of Yahweh ^aimpatient?Are these His deeds?’Do not My words ^bdo goodTo the one ^cwalking uprightly?8 “¹And recently My people have arisen as an ^aenemy—You ^bstrip the ²robe off the garmentFrom ^cunsuspecting passers-by,From those returned from war.9 “The women of My people you ^adrive out,Each one from her pleasant house.From her infants you take My ^bsplendor forever.10 “Arise and go,For this is no place ^aof restBecause of the ^buncleanness that wreaks destruction,A painful destruction.11 “If a man walking after wind and ^alyingHad acted falsely and said,‘I will speak, dripping out words to you concerning ^bwine and liquor,’He would be one who drips out words as a spokesman to ^cthis people.

12 “I will surely ^aassemble all of you, Jacob;I will surely gather the ^bremnant of Israel.I will put them together like sheep in the fold;Like a flock in the midst of its pastureThey will be noisy with men.13 “The breaker goes up before them;They break out, pass through the gate, and go out by it.So their king goes on before them,And Yahweh at their head.”