Online Bible

Rulers Denounced

And I said,“^aHear now, you ¹leaders of JacobAnd rulers of the house of Israel:Is it not for you to ^bknow justice?

2 “You who hate good and love evil,Who ^atear off their skin from themAnd their flesh from their bones,3 Who ^aeat the flesh of my people,Strip off their skin from them,Smash their bones,And ^bchop them up as for the pot,And as meat in a cauldron!”4 Then they will ^acry out to the LORD,But He will not answer them.Instead, He will ^bhide His face from them at that timeBecause they have ^cpracticed evil deeds.

5 This is what the LORD says concerning the prophets who ^alead my people astray:When they have something to bite with their teeth,They ^bcry out, “Peace!”But against him who puts nothing in their mouthsThey declare holy war.

6 Therefore it will be ^anight for you—without vision,And darkness for you—without divination.The ^bsun will go down on the prophets,And the day will become dark over them.7 The seers will be ^aput to shame,And the ^bdiviners will be ashamed.Indeed, they will all ^ccover their ¹lipsBecause there is ^dno answer from God.8 On the other hand, ^aI am filled with power—With the Spirit of the LORD—And with justice and courageTo ^bmake known to Jacob his rebellious act,And to Israel his sin.9 Now hear this, you ^aheads of the house of JacobAnd rulers of the house of Israel,Who ^bdespise justiceAnd twist everything that is straight,10 Who ^abuild Zion with bloodshed,And Jerusalem with malice.11 Her leaders pronounce ^ajudgment for a bribe,Her ^bpriests teach for pay,And her prophets divine for money.Yet they lean on the LORD, saying,“^cIs the LORD not in our midst?Catastrophe will not come upon us.”12 Therefore on account of you,^aZion will be plowed like a field,^bJerusalem will become a heap of ruins,And the ^cmountain of the ¹temple will become high places of a forest.