Woe to the Oppressors of God’s People

• 2 Woe to those who plan wickedness
  • and evil deeds upon their beds!
• In the light of the morning they did it,
  • because they have power in their hands.
• 2 They covet fields and seize them,
  • and houses, and they take them away.
• They oppress a man and his house;
  • a man and his inheritance.

3 Therefore, thus says Yahweh: Look! I am planning disaster against this family from which you will not be able to remove your necks. You will not walk proudly, for it is a time of disaster.

• 4 In that day they will raise a proverb against you,
  • and will wail a bitter wailing, saying,
• “We are utterly ruined;
  • he exchanges the portion of my people.
• How he removes it from me;
  • he apportions our field to an apostate.”
• 5 Therefore you will have no one casting a line by lot
  • in the assembly of Yahweh.
• 6 “Do not preach!” they are preaching.
  • They should not preach to these;
  • disgrace will not overtake us.
• 7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob?
  • Is the patience[fn] of Yahweh shortened?
  • Are these his deeds?
• Are my words not pleasing
  • to him who walks upright?
• 8 But recently[fn] my people have risen up as an enemy;
  • from before the cloak you strip off the robe
• from those passing by in confidence,
  • returning from war.
• 9 You have driven out the women of my people
  • from the houses of their[fn] pleasure.
• From their[fn] children you have taken away
  • my glory forever.
• 10 Arise and go,
  • for this is no resting place,
• on account of uncleanness that destroys
  • with painful destruction.
• 11 If a man walks about in a spirit of deception and lies,
  • saying “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,”
  • then he would be a preacher for this people!
• 12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob;
  • I will surely gather together the remainder of Israel.
• I will set them like sheep of Bozrah.
• Like a herd in the midst of their pasture
  • they will be in tumult from people.
• 13 The one who breaks out before them goes up;
  • they break through and pass the gate,
  • going out through it.
• Their king passes before them,
  • Yahweh at their head.