Rulers and Prophets Condemned 1 UDB Then I said, "You Israelite leaders, listen to what I say! You should certainly know what things are right to do and what things are wrong, BSB BSB: Then I said: “Hear now, O leaders of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel. Should you not know justice?
2 UDB but you hate what is good and love what is evil. You act like butchers: it is as though you strip the skin off my people and tear the flesh from their bones. BSB BSB: You hate good and love evil. You tear the skin from my people and strip the flesh from their bones.
3 UDB It is as though you chop them into pieces like meat to be cooked in a pot. BSB BSB: You eat the flesh of my people after stripping off their skin and breaking their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”
4 UDB Then, when you have troubles, you plead to Yahweh to help you, but he will not answer you. At that time, he will turn his face away from you because of the evil things that you have done." BSB BSB: Then they will cry out to the LORD, but He will not answer them. At that time He will hide His face from them because of the evil they have done.
5 UDB This is what Yahweh says about your false prophets who are deceiving the people: "If someone gives them food, those prophets say that things will go well for him. But they declare that I will punish anyone who does not give them food. BSB BSB: This is what the LORD says: “As for the prophets who lead My people astray, who proclaim peace while they chew with their teeth, but declare war against one who puts nothing in their mouths:
6 UDB So now it is as though night will descend on you prophets; you will not receive any more visions. It is as though the sun will set for you; the time when you are greatly honored will end. BSB BSB: Therefore night will come over you without visions, and darkness without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them.
7 UDB Then you seers will be disgraced; you will cover your faces because you will be ashamed, because when you ask me what will happen, there will be no answer from me." BSB BSB: Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners will be disgraced. They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God.”
8 UDB But as for me, I am full of God's power, power from the Spirit of Yahweh. I am just and strong and declare to the Israelite people that they have sinned and rebelled against Yahweh. BSB BSB: As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the LORD, with justice and courage, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin.
9 UDB You leaders of the people of Israel, listen to this: You hate it when people do what is just, and when people say what is true, you say it is false. BSB BSB: Now hear this, O leaders of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who despise justice and pervert all that is right,
10 UDB It is as though you are building houses in Jerusalem on foundations that consist of murdering people and doing what is corrupt. BSB BSB: who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with iniquity.
11 UDB Your leaders make favorable decisions only if they receive bribes. Your priests teach people only if those people pay them well. Your false prophets require people to pay them to tell people what will happen to them in the future. Those prophets say, "Yahweh is telling us what we should say, and we say that we will not experience any disasters." BSB BSB: Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets practice divination for money. Yet they lean upon the LORD, saying, “Is not the LORD among us? No disaster can come upon us.”
12 UDB Because of what you leaders do, Mount Zion will be plowed like a field; it will become a heap of ruins. The top of the hill, where the temple is now, will be covered with trees. BSB BSB: Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge.