Rulers Denounced

1And I said,

“Hear now, heads of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel.

Is it not for you to know and administer justice?

2“You who hate good and love evil,

Who tear the skin off my people

And their flesh from their bones;

3You who eat the flesh of my people,

Strip off their skin from them,

Break their bones

And chop them in pieces as for the pot,

Like meat in a kettle.”

4Then they will cry to the LORD,

But He will not answer them;

Instead, He will even hide His face from them at that time [withholding His mercy]

Because they have practiced and tolerated and ignored evil acts.

5Thus says the LORD concerning the [false] prophets who lead my people astray;

When they have something good to bite with their teeth,

They call out, “Peace,”

But against the one who gives them nothing to eat,

They declare a holy war.

6Therefore it will be night (tragedy) for you--without vision,

And darkness (cataclysm) for you--without foresight.

The sun shall go down on the [false] prophets,

And the day shall become dark and black over them.

7The seers shall be ashamed

And the diviners discredited and embarrassed;

Indeed, they shall all cover their mouths [in shame]

Because there is no answer from God.

8But in fact, I am filled with power,

With the Spirit of the LORD,

And with justice and might,

To declare to Jacob his transgression

And to Israel his sin.

9Now hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel,

Who hate and reject justice

And twist everything that is straight,

10Who build Zion with blood [and extortion and murder]

And Jerusalem with violent injustice.

11Her leaders pronounce judgment for a bribe,

Her priests teach for a fee,

And her prophets foretell for money;

Yet they lean on the LORD, saying,

“Is not the LORD among us?

No tragedy or distress will come on us.”

12Therefore, on account of you

[a]Zion shall be plowed like a field,

Jerusalem shall become [b]a heap of ruins,

And the mountain of the house [of the LORD] shall become like a densely wooded hill.

[a] 12 Zion (City of David) was the elevated area between the Tyropoeon and Kidron valleys (southeastern area of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus). The city was the capital of Israel (the united kingdom) during the reigns of David and Solomon, and the site of Solomon’s temple.
[b] 12 In 586 B.C. Jerusalem (including Solomon’s temple) was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar ruler of Babylon (Chaldean Dynasty).