Chapter 2

  Woe to them that devise iniquity and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.  

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  And they covet fields, and seize them; and houses, and take them away: and they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.  

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  Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks, neither shall ye walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.  

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  In that day shall they take up a parable against you, and lament with a doleful lamentation, [and] say, We are utterly ruined: he changeth the portion of my people: how doth he remove [it] from me! to the rebellious he divideth our fields.  

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  Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah.  

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  Prophesy ye not, [thus] they prophesy. They shall not prophesy to these: reproaches shall not depart.  

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  Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, Is the Spirit of Jehovah straitened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?  

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  But of late my people is risen up as an enemy: ye strip the robe from off the garment from them that pass by securely [as men] averse from war.  

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  The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children ye take away my glory for ever.  

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  Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your resting-place; because of uncleanness that destroyeth, even with a grievous destruction.  

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  If a man walking in a spirit of falsehood do lie, [saying], I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.  

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  I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee; I will surely gather the remnant of Israel; I will put them together as the sheep of Bozrah, as a flock in the midst of their pasture; they shall make great noise by reason of [the multitude of] men.  

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  The breaker is gone up before them: they have broken forth and passed on to the gate, and are gone out thereat; and their king is passed on before them, and Jehovah at the head of them.  

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