Chapter 3

Rulers Denounced

1 And I said,

“aHear now, heads of Jacob

And 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 them

And their flesh from their bones,

3 Who aeat the flesh of my people,

Strip off their skin from them,

Break their bones

And bchop them up as for the pot

And as meat in a kettle.”

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 time

Because they have cpracticed evil deeds.

5 Thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who alead my people astray;

When they have something to bite with their teeth,

They bcry, “Peace,”

But against him who puts nothing in their mouths

They 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 aashamed

And the bdiviners will be embarrassed.

Indeed, they will all ccover their 1mouths

Because 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 courage

To bmake known to Jacob his rebellious act,

Even to Israel his sin.

9 Now hear this, aheads of the house of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel,

Who babhor justice

And twist everything that is straight,

10 Who abuild Zion with bloodshed

And Jerusalem with violent injustice.

11 Her leaders pronounce ajudgment for a bribe,

Her bpriests instruct for a price

And her prophets divine for money.

Yet they lean on the Lord saying,

“cIs not the Lord in our midst?

Calamity will not come upon us.”

12 Therefore, on account of you

aZion will be plowed as a field,

bJerusalem will become a heap of ruins,

And the cmountain of the 1temple will become high places of a forest.