Yahweh Will Not Answer

1And I said,

“Hear now, heads of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel.

Is it not for you to know justice?

2You who hate good and love evil,

Who tear off their skin from them

And their flesh from their bones,

3And who eat the flesh of my people,

Strip off their skin from them,

Break their bones,

And spread them out as for the pot

And as meat in a caldron.”

4Then they will cry out to Yahweh,

But He will not answer them.

Instead, He will hide His face from them at that time

Because they have practiced evil deeds.

5Thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets who lead my people astray;

When they have something to bite with their teeth,

They call out, “Peace,”

But against him who puts nothing in their mouths,

They set themselves apart for war.

6Therefore it will be night for you—without vision,

And darkness for you—without divination.

The sun will go down on the prophets,

And the day will grow black over them.

7The seers will be ashamed,

And the diviners will be humiliated.

Indeed, they will all cover their [†]mouths

Because there is no answer from God.

8On the other hand I am filled with power—

With the Spirit of Yahweh—

And with justice and might

To declare to Jacob his transgression,

Even to Israel his sin.

9Now hear this, heads of the house of Jacob

And rulers of the house of Israel,

Who abhor justice

And twist everything that is straight,

10Who build Zion with bloodshed

And Jerusalem with violent injustice.

11Her heads pronounce judgment for a bribe,

And her priests instruct for a price,

And her prophets divine for money.

Yet they lean on Yahweh saying,

“Is not Yahweh in our midst?

Evil will not come upon us.”

12Therefore, on account of you

Zion will be plowed as a field;

Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,

And the mountain of the house of God will become high places of a forest.