Woe to Oppressors 1 Brenton They meditated troubles, and wrought wickedness on their beds, and they put it in execution with the daylight; for they have not lifted up their hands to God. BSB BSB: Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.
2 Brenton And they desired fields, and plundered orphans, and oppressed families, and spoiled a man and his house, even a man and his inheritance. BSB BSB: They covet fields and seize them; they take away houses. They deprive a man of his home, a fellow man of his inheritance.
3 Brenton Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I devise evils against this family, out of which ye shall not lift up your necks, neither shall ye walk upright speedily: for the time is evil. BSB BSB: Therefore this is what the LORD says: “I am planning against this nation a disaster from which you cannot free your necks. Then you will not walk so proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.
4 Brenton In that day shall a parable be taken up against you, and a plaintive lamentation shall be uttered, saying, We are thoroughly miserable: the portion of my people has been measured out with a line, and there was none to hinder him so as to turn him back; your fields have been divided. BSB BSB: In that day they will take up a proverb against you and taunt you with this bitter lamentation: ‘We are utterly ruined! He has changed the portion of my people. How He has removed it from me! He has allotted our fields to traitors.’”
5 Brenton Therefore thou shalt have no one to cast a line for the lot. BSB BSB: Therefore, you will have no one in the assembly of the LORD to divide the land by lot.
Reproof of False Prophets (Ezekiel 13:1–16)
6 Brenton Weep not with tears in the assembly of the Lord, neither let any weep for these things; for he shall not remove the reproaches, BSB BSB: “Do not preach,” they preach. “Do not preach these things; disgrace will not overtake us.”
7 Brenton who says, The house of Jacob has provoked the Spirit of the Lord; are not these his practices? Are not the Lord's words right with him? and have they not proceeded correctly? BSB BSB: Should it be said, O house of Jacob, “Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient? Are these the things He does?” Do not My words bring good to him who walks uprightly?
8 Brenton Even beforetime my people withstood him as an enemy against his peace; they have stripped off his skin to remove hope in the conflict of war. BSB BSB: But of late My people have risen up like an enemy: You strip off the splendid robe from unsuspecting passersby like men returning from battle.
9 Brenton The leaders of my people shall be cast forth from their luxurious houses; they are rejected because of their evil practices; draw ye near to the everlasting mountains. BSB BSB: You drive the women of My people from their pleasant homes. You take away My blessing from their children forever.
10 Brenton Arise thou, and depart; for this is not thy rest because of uncleanness: ye have been utterly destroyed; BSB BSB: Arise and depart, for this is not your place of rest, because its defilement brings destruction—a grievous destruction!
11 Brenton ye have fled, no one pursuing you: thy spirit has framed falsehood, it has dropped on thee for wine and strong drink. But it shall come to pass, that out of the dropping of this people, BSB BSB: If a man of wind were to come and say falsely, “I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,” he would be just the preacher for this people!
The Remnant of Israel (Micah 5:7–15)
12 Brenton Jacob shall be completely gathered with all his people : I will surely receive the remnant of Israel; I will cause them to return together, as sheep in trouble, as a flock in the midst of their fold: they shall rush forth from among men through the breach made before them: BSB BSB: I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob; I will collect the remnant of Israel. I will bring them together like sheep in a pen, like a flock in the midst of its pasture—a noisy throng.
13 Brenton they have broken through, and passed the gate, and gone out by it: and their king has gone out before them, and the Lord shall lead them. BSB BSB: One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate, and go out by it. Their King will pass through before them, the LORD as their leader.