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Israel’s Sins Are Condemned

How horrible it will be for those who invent trouble
and work out plans for disaster while in bed.
When the morning dawns, they carry out their plans
because they are able to.
They desire ⌞other people’s⌟ fields, so they seize them.
They desire ⌞people’s⌟ houses, so they take them.
They cheat a man and his family,
a man and his inheritance.

So this is what the Lord says:

I’m planning a disaster to punish your family.
You won’t be able to rescue yourselves.
You will no longer be able to walk proudly.
This will be a time of disaster.
When that day comes, people will make fun of you.
They will sing this sad song about you:
“We are completely ruined.
The Lord gives our people’s possessions ⌞to others⌟.
He takes them from us.
He divides our fields among our captors.”
That is why none of you in the Lord’s assembly will draw lots
to divide your property.

Your prophets say, “Don’t prophesy!
Don’t prophesy such things!
Disgrace will never overtake us.”
Should the descendants of Jacob be asked:
Has the Spirit of the Lord become impatient with you?
Has he done these things?
Are his words good for those who live honestly?

Recently, my people have turned into enemies.
You take coats from those who pass by without a care
as they return from war.
You force the women among my people out of their pleasant homes
and take my glory away from their children forever.
10 Get up, and go away!
This is not a place to rest!
It will be destroyed, completely destroyed,
because it offends me.
11 Liars and frauds may go around and say,
“We will preach to you about wine and liquor.”
They would be just the type of preacher you want.

Israel Will Be Gathered Again by the Lord

12 I will surely gather all of you, Jacob.
I will surely bring together the few people left in Israel.
I will gather them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in its pasture.
They will make a lot of noise
because there will be so many people.
13 ⌞The Lord will open the way and lead them.
They will break out, go through the gate, and leave.
Their king will travel in front of them.
The Lord will lead the people.

Woe to those who think up evil
and plan wickedness as they lie in bed.
When morning comes, they do it,
since they have it in their power.
They covet fields and seize them;
they take over houses as well,
doing violence to both owner and house,
to people and their inherited land.

Therefore this is what Adonai says:

“Against this family I am planning an evil
from which you will not withdraw your necks;
nor will you walk with your heads held high,
for it will be an evil time.”
On that day they will take up a dirge for you;
sadly lamenting, they will wail,
“We are completely ruined!
Our people’s land has changed hands.
Our fields are taken away from us;
instead of restoring them, he parcels them out.”
Therefore, you will have no one
in the assembly of Adonai
to stretch out a measuring line and restore
the land assigned by lot.
“Don’t preach!” — thus they preach!
“They shouldn’t preach about these things.
Shame will not overtake us” —
is this what the house of Ya‘akov says?

Adonai has not grown impatient,
and these things are not his doings.
“Rather, my words do only good
to anyone living uprightly.
But lately my people behave like an enemy,
stripping both cloaks and tunics
from travelers who thought they were secure,
so that they become like war refugees.
You throw my people’s women
out of the homes they love.
You deprive their children
of my glory forever.
10 Get up and go! You can’t stay here!
Because [the land] is now unclean,
it will destroy you
with a grievous destruction.”

11 If a man who walks in wind and falsehood
tells this lie: “I will preach to you
of [how good it is to drink] wine and strong liquor” —
this people will accept him as their preacher!

12 “I will assemble all of you, Ya‘akov;
I will gather the remnant of Isra’el,
I will put them together like sheep in a pen,
like a herd in its pasture —
it will hum with the sounds of people.”

13 The one breaking through went up before them;
they broke through, passed the gate and went out.
Their king passed on before them;
Adonai was leading them.