Oppressors Judged

# Chapter 2
1. Woe to those who dream up wickedness
and prepare evil plans on their beds!
At morning light they accomplish it
because the power is in their hands.

2. They covet fields and seize them;
they also take houses.
They deprive a man of his home,
a person of his inheritance.

3. Therefore, 
the Lord says:
I am now planning a disaster
against this nation;
you cannot free your necks from it.
Then you will not walk so proudly
because it will be an evil time.

4. In that day one will take up a taunt against you
and lament mournfully, saying,
"We are totally ruined!
He measures out the allotted land of my people.
How he removes it from me!
He allots our fields to traitors."

5. Therefore, there will be no one
in the assembly of 
the Lord
to divide the land by casting lots.

God's Word Rejected


6. "Quit your preaching," they preach.
"They should not preach these things;
shame will not overtake us."

7. House of Jacob, should it be asked,
"Is the Spirit of 
the Lord impatient?
Are these the things he does?"
Don't my words bring good
to the one who walks uprightly?

8. But recently my people have risen up
like an enemy:
You strip off the splendid robe
from those who are passing through confidently,
like those returning from war.

9. You force the women of my people
out of their comfortable homes,
and you take my blessing
from their children forever.

10. Get up and leave,
for this is not your place of rest
because defilement brings destruction--
a grievous destruction!

11. If a man comes
and utters empty lies--
"I will preach to you about wine and beer"--
he would be just the preacher for this people!
The Remnant Regathered


12. I will indeed gather all of you, Jacob;
I will collect the remnant of Israel.
I will bring them together like sheep in a pen,
like a flock in the middle of its pasture.
It will be noisy with people.

13. One who breaks open the way
will advance before them;
they will break out, pass through the city gate,
and leave by it.
Their King will pass through before them,
the Lord as their leader.




