MIḴAH 3

1 Then I said, “Hear now, O heads of Ya’aqoḇ, and you rulers of the house of Yisra’ĕl: Should you not know Right-Ruling,

2 you who are hating good and loving evil, tearing away the skin from My people, and the flesh from their bones,

3 and who have eaten the flesh of My people, and stripped off their skin, and have broken their bones, and have cut it up as into a pot, like flesh in the cooking pot?”

4 Therefore, when they cry to 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 He does not answer them, and hides His face from them at that time, as they have made their deeds evil.

5 Thus said 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 concerning the neḇi’im who lead my people astray, who are biting with their teeth and have called out, “Peace!” They even declare battle against him who does not give for their mouths.

6 Therefore it shall be night to you without vision, and darkness to you without divination. The sun shall go down on the neḇi’im, and the day shall be dark for them.

7 And the seers shall be ashamed, and the diviners embarrassed. And they shall all cover their lips, for there is no answer, O Elohim.

8 But truly I am filled with power, with the Ruaḥ of 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and with Right-Ruling and with might, to declare to Ya’aqoḇ his transgression and to Yisra’ĕl his sin.

9 Hear this, please, you heads of the house of Ya’aqoḇ and you rulers of the house of Yisra’ĕl, who despise Right-Ruling and distort all that is straight,

10 those building up Tsiyon with bloodshed and Yerushalayim with unrighteousness.

11 Her heads judge for a bribe, her kohenim teach for pay, and her neḇi’im divine for a price. Yet they lean on 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄, and say, “Is not 𐤉𐤄𐤅𐤄 in our midst? Evil does not come upon us.”

12 Therefore, because of you, Tsiyon is ploughed like a field, and Yerushalayim becomes heaps, and the mountain of the House like a wooded height.