"ThereforeI will givetheir wivesto others,Their fieldsto newowners;Becausefrom the leasteven to the greatestEveryoneis greedyfor gain;From the propheteven to the priestEveryonepracticesdeceit.
May my wifegrindfor another,And let otherskneeldownoverher.
And thesealsoreelwith wineand staggerfrom strongdrink:The priestand the prophetreelwith strongdrink,They are confusedby wine,they staggerfrom strongdrink;They reelwhile having visions,They totter[when rendering] judgment.
"Because of the iniquityof his unjustgainI was angryand struckhim; I hid[My face] and was angry,And he wenton turningaway,in the wayof his heart.
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.
IfI goout to the country,Behold,those slainwith the sword!Or ifI enterthe city,Behold,diseasesof famine!For bothprophetand priestHave gone rovingaboutin the landthat they do not know.'"
"As a partridgethat hatcheseggswhich it has not laid,[So] is he who makesa fortune,but unjustly;In the midstof his daysit will forsakehim, And in the endhe will be a fool."
"But your eyesand your heartAre [intent] onlyupon your own dishonestgain,And on sheddinginnocentbloodAnd on practicingoppressionand extortion."
becauseof allthe evilof the sonsof Israeland the sonsof Judahwhichthey have doneto provokeMe to anger--they, their kings,their leaders,their priests,their prophets,the menof Judahand the inhabitantsof Jerusalem.
Then behold,allof the womenwhohave been leftin the palaceof the kingof Judahare going to be broughtout to the officersof the kingof Babylon;and thosewomenwill say,"Your closefriendsHave misledand overpoweredyou; While your feetwere sunkin the mire,They turnedback."
Then allthe commandersof the forces,Johananthe sonof Kareah,Jezaniahthe sonof Hoshaiah,and allthe peoplebothsmalland greatapproached
The prophetsprophesyfalsely,And the priestsruleon their [own] authority;And My peopleloveit so!But whatwill you doat the endof it?
Becauseof the sinsof her prophets[And] the iniquitiesof her priests,Who have shedin her midstThe bloodof the righteous;
"They cometo you as peoplecome,and sitbeforeyou [as] My peopleand hearyour words,but they do not dothem, for they dothe lustfuldesires[expressed] by their mouth,[and] their heartgoesaftertheir gain.
Thereforebecauseyou imposeheavyrenton the poorAnd exacta tributeof grainfrom them, [Though] you have builthousesof well-hewnstone,Yet you will not livein them; You have plantedpleasantvineyards,yet you will not drinktheir wine.
"On that daythey will takeup againstyou a tauntAnd uttera bitterlamentation[and] say,'We are completelydestroyed!He exchangesthe portionof my people;HowHe removesit from me! To the apostateHe apportionsour fields.'
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."
Thussaysthe LORDconcerningthe prophetswho leadmy peopleastray;When they have [something] to bitewith their teeth,They cry,"Peace,"But againsthim whoputsnothingin their mouthsThey declareholywar.
"For behold,I am raisingup the Chaldeans,That fierceand impetuouspeopleWho marchthroughoutthe earthTo seizedwellingplaceswhich are not theirs.
"Moreover, their wealthwill becomeplunderAnd their housesdesolate;Yes, they will buildhousesbut not inhabit[them], And plantvineyardsbut not drinktheir wine."
whomustbe silencedbecausethey are upsettingwholefamilies,teachingthingsthey shouldnot [teach] for the sakeof sordidgain.
For the overseermustbe above reproachas God'ssteward,not self-willed,not quick-tempered,not addicted to wine,not pugnacious,not fond of sordid gain,
