1 Woe 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.
2 And they covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.
3 Therefore thus saith theLord: Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks, neither shall ye walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.
4 In that day shall they take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation,andsay, We be utterly spoiled: he changeth the portion of my people: how doth he removeitfrom me! to the rebellious he divideth our fields.
5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the congregation of theLord.
6 Prophesy ye not,thusthey prophesy. They shall not prophesy to these: reproaches shall not depart.
7 Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, Is the spirit of theLordstraitened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
8 But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securelyas menaverse from war.
9 The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children ye take away my glory for ever.
10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your rest: because of uncleanness that destroyeth, even with a grievous destruction.
11 If a man walking in wind 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.
12 I 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 a flock in the midst of their pasture, they shall make great noise by reason ofthe multitude ofmen.
13 The breaker is gone up before them: they have broken forth and passed on to the gate, and are gone out thereat: and their king is passed on before them, and theLordat the head of them.