The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
"They seefalsehoodand lyingdivinationwho are saying,'The LORDdeclares,'when the LORDhas not sentthem; yet they hopefor the fulfillmentof [their] word.
Then the LORDsaidto me, "The prophetsare prophesyingfalsehoodin My name.I have neithersentthem norcommandedthem norspokento them; they are prophesyingto you a false vision,divination,futilityand the deceptionof their own minds.
"Ifa manwalkingafter windand falsehoodHad toldlies[and said], 'I will speakout to you concerning wineand liquor,'He would be spokesmanto thispeople.
"Can your heartendure,orcan your handsbe strongin the daysthat I will dealwith you? I, the LORD,have spokenand will act.
Now whatwill you doin the dayof punishment,And in the devastationwhich will comefrom afar?To whomwill you fleefor help?And wherewill you leaveyour wealth?
"Wouldthat they were wise,that they understoodthis,That they would discerntheir future!
Do not speakout,' [so] they speakout. [But if] they do not speakout concerning thesethings,Reproacheswill not be turnedback.
Your prophetshave seenfor you false and foolish[visions]; And they have not exposedyour iniquitySo as to restoreyou from captivity,But they have seenfor you false and misleadingoracles.
Her uncleannesswas in her skirts;She did not considerher future.Therefore she has fallenastonishingly;She hasnocomforter."See,O LORD,my affliction,For the enemyhas magnifiedhimself!"
Sinnersin Zionare terrified;Tremblinghas seizedthe godless."Whoamong us can livewith the consumingfire?Whoamong us can livewith continualburning?"
"So the inhabitantsof thiscoastlandwill sayin that day,'Behold,suchis our hope,wherewe fledfor helpto be deliveredfrom the kingof Assyria;and we, howshall we escape?'"
Her leaderspronouncejudgmentfor a bribe,Her priestsinstructfor a priceAnd her prophetsdivinefor money.Yet they leanon the LORDsaying,"Is not the LORDin our midst?Calamitywill not comeupon us."
"Your firstforefathersinned,And your spokesmenhave transgressedagainst Me.
"Yet you said,I will be a queenforever.'Thesethingsyou did not considerNorrememberthe outcomeof them.
Howlongis the landto mournAnd the vegetationof the countrysideto wither?For the wickednessof those who dwellin it, Animalsand birdshave been snatchedaway,Because[men] have said,"He will not seeour latterending."
The priestsand the prophetsand allthe peopleheardJeremiahspeakingthesewordsin the houseof the LORD.
Becauseof the sinsof her prophets[And] the iniquitiesof her priests,Who have shedin her midstThe bloodof the righteous;
They huntedour stepsSothat we could not walkin our streets;Our enddrewnear,Our dayswere finishedFor our endhad come.
And it will be, like people,like priest;So I will punishthem for their waysAnd repaythem for their deeds.
In the houseof IsraelI have seena horriblething;Ephraim'sharlotryis there,Israelhas defileditself.
Whatwill you doon the dayof the appointedfestivalAnd on the dayof the feastof the LORD?
"Then He said,'I will hideMy facefrom them, I will seewhattheir end[shall be]; For they are a perversegeneration,Sonsin whom is nofaithfulness.
Then the kingof Israelgatheredthe prophetstogether, about fourhundredmen,and saidto them, "Shall I goagainstRamoth-gileadto battleorshall I refrain?"And they said,"Goup, for the Lordwill give[it] into the handof the king."
An evildoerlistensto wickedlips;A liarpaysattentionto a destructivetongue.
"It is definitelybecausethey have misledMy peopleby saying,Peace!'when thereis nopeace.And when anyonebuildsa wall,behold,they plasterit overwith whitewash;
Her prophetsare reckless,treacherousmen;Her priestshave profanedthe sanctuary.They have doneviolenceto the law.
