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.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.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.
1Woe to those who devise wickedness and work evil on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in the power of their hand. (Ps 36:4; Isa 10:1; Isa 10:2)2They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them away; they oppress a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. (Isa 5:8)3Therefore thus says the LORD: behold, against this family I am devising disaster,[1] from which you cannot remove your necks, and you shall not walk haughtily, for it will be a time of disaster. (Isa 2:11; Isa 2:17; Jer 8:3; Am 3:1; Am 3:2; Am 5:13)4In that day they shall take up a taunt song against you and moan bitterly, and say, “We are utterly ruined; he changes the portion of my people; how he removes it from me! To an apostate he allots our fields.” (Nu 23:7; Ps 68:6; Mic 1:15; Hab 2:6)5Therefore you will have none to cast the line by lot in the assembly of the LORD. (De 32:8; De 32:9; Jos 14:1; Jos 14:2)6“Do not preach”—thus they preach— “one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us.” (Am 2:12; Am 8:10; Am 8:11; Am 8:12)7Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Has the LORD grown impatient?[2] Are these his deeds? Do not my words do good to him who walks uprightly? (Mic 6:1)8But lately my people have risen up as an enemy; you strip the rich robe from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war.[3] (2Ch 28:8)9The women of my people you drive out from their delightful houses; from their young children you take away my splendor forever.10Arise and go, for this is no place to rest, because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction. (Le 18:25; De 12:9; Mic 1:11; Mic 1:16; Heb 13:14)11If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be the preacher for this people! (Jer 5:13; Am 2:12)12I will surely assemble all of you, O Jacob; I will gather the remnant of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture, a noisy multitude of men. (2Ki 25:11; Jer 31:10; Mic 4:7)13He who opens the breach goes up before them; they break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king passes on before them, the LORD at their head. (2Ki 25:10; Isa 52:12; Mic 4:10)