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 seize them ; and houses , and take them away : and they oppress a man and his house , even a man and his heritage . 3Therefore thus saith Jehovah : 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 . 4In that day shall they take up a parable against you , and lament with a doleful lamentation , and say, We are utterly ruined : he changeth the portion of my people : how doth he remove it from me ! to the rebellious he divideth our fields . 5Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah .
The Lord's Response
6Prophesy ye not , thus they prophesy . They shall not prophesy to these: reproaches shall not depart. 7Shall it be said , O house of Jacob , Is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened ? are these his doings ? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly ? 8But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war . 9The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant houses ; from their young children ye take away my glory for ever . 10Arise ye , and depart ; for this is not your resting-place; because of uncleanness that destroyeth, even with a grievous destruction . 11If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood do lie , saying , I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink ; he shall even be the prophet of this people .
Hope for the Remnant
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 a flock in the midst of their pasture ; they shall make great noise by reason of the multitude of men . 13The 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 Jehovah at the head of them .