2: 1 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.
2: 2 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.
2: 3 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.
2: 4 In that day shall they take up a parable against you, and lament ¹¹with a doleful lamentation, and say, We are utterly ruined: he changeth the portion of my people: how doth he ¹²remove it from me! to the rebellious he divideth our fields.
¹¹Or, with the lamentation, It is done; and say, etc.
¹²Or, depart from me!

2: 5 Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast the line by lot in the assembly of Jehovah.
2: 6 ¹³Prophesy ye not, thus they prophesy. They shall not prophesy ¹⁴to these: reproaches shall not depart.
¹³Or, Prophesy ye not, they are ever prophesying, say they Hb. Drop (three times). See Amos 7:16.
¹⁴Or, of these things: their reproaches never cease.

2: 7 ¹⁵Shall it be said, O house of Jacob, Is the Spirit of Jehovah ¹⁶straitened? are these his doings? Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?
¹⁵Or, O thou that art named the house of Jacob,
¹⁶Or, impatient Hb. shortened

2: 8 But ¹⁷of 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.
¹⁷Hb. yesterday my people is risen up as an enemy:

2: 9 The women of my people ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children ye take away my glory for ever.
2: 10 Arise ye, and depart; for this is not your resting-place; because of uncleanness that destroyeth, even with a grievous destruction.
2: 11 ¹⁸If a man walking ¹⁹in 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.
¹⁸MurXII Sept. read A man doth not walk about speaking falsehood and lies,
¹⁹Or, in wind and falsehood do lie,

2: 12 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.
2: 13 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.