1 Alas for those who devise wickedness and evil deeds on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in their power.

2 They covet fields, and seize them; houses, and take them away; they oppress householder and house, people and their inheritance.

3 Therefore thus says the LORD: Now, I am devising against this family an evil from which you cannot remove your necks; and you shall not walk haughtily, for it will be an evil time.

4 On that day they shall take up a taunt song against you, and wail with bitter lamentation, and say, "We are utterly ruined; the LORD alters the inheritance of my people; how he removes it from me! Among our captors he parcels out our fields."

5 Therefore you will have no one to cast the line by lot in the assembly of the LORD.

6 "Do not preach"--thus they preach-- "one should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us."

7 Should this be said, O house of Jacob? Is the Lord's patience exhausted? Are these his doings? Do not my words do good to one who walks uprightly?

8 But you rise up against my people as an enemy; you strip the robe from the peaceful, from those who pass by trustingly with no thought of war.

9 The women of my people you drive out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away my glory forever.

10 Arise and go; for this is no place to rest, because of uncleanness that destroys with a grievous destruction.

11 If someone were to go about uttering empty falsehoods, saying, "I will preach to you of wine and strong drink," such a one would be the preacher for this people!

12 I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob, I will gather the survivors of Israel; I will set them together like sheep in a fold, like a flock in its pasture; it will resound with people.

13 The one who breaks out will go up before them; they will break through and pass the gate, going out by it. Their king will pass on before them, the LORD at their head.