Rulers Denounced
3
And I said,
AHear now, heads of Jacob
And rulers of the house of Israel.
Is it not for you to Bknow justice?
“You who hate good and love evil,
Who Atear off their skin from them
And their flesh from their bones,
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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A 3:1 Is 1:10; Mic 3:9 B 3:1 Ps 82:1-5; Jer 5:5 A 3:2 Ps 53:4; Ezek 22:27; Mic 2:8; 7:2, 3 A 3:3 Ps 14:4; 27:2; Zeph 3:3 B 3:3 Ezek 11:3, 6, 7 A 3:4 Ps 18:41; Prov 1:28; Is 1:15; Jer 11:11 B 3:4 Deut 31:17; Is 59:2 C 3:4 Is 3:11; Mic 7:13 A 3:5 Is 3:12; 9:15, 16; Jer 14:14, 15 B 3:5 Jer 6:14 A 3:6 Is 8:20-22; 29:10-12 B 3:6 Is 59:10 A 3:7 Zech 13:4 B 3:7 Is 44:25; 47:12-14 C 3:7 Mic 7:16 1 3:7 Lit mustache D 3:7 1 Sam 28:6; Mic 3:4 A 3:8 Is 61:1, 2; Jer 1:18 B 3:8 Is 58:1 A 3:9 Mic 1:1 B 3:9 Ps 58:1, 2; Is 1:23 A 3:10 Jer 22:13, 17; Hab 2:12 A 3:11 Is 1:23; Mic 7:3 B 3:11 Jer 6:13 C 3:11 Is 48:2 A 3:12 Jer 26:18 B 3:12 Ps 79:1; Jer 9:11 C 3:12 Mic 4:1 1 3:12 Lit house