51 But for now, prepare for the worst, victim daughter! The siege is set against us. They humiliate Israel's king, slapping him around like a rag doll. 2 But you, Bethlehem, David's country, the runt of the litter - From you will come the leader who will shepherd-rule Israel. He'll be no upstart, no pretender. His family tree is ancient and distinguished. 3 Meanwhile, Israel will be in foster homes until the birth pangs are over and the child is born, And the scattered brothers come back home to the family of Israel. 4 He will stand tall in his shepherd-rule by God's strength, centered in the majesty of God-Revealed. And the people will have a good and safe home, for the whole world will hold him in respect - Peacemaker of the world! 5 And if some bullying Assyrian shows up, invades and violates our land, don't worry. We'll put him in his place, send him packing, and watch his every move. 6 Shepherd-rule will extend as far as needed, to Assyria and all other Nimrod-bullies. Our shepherd-ruler will save us from old or new enemies, from anyone who invades or violates our land.
7 The purged and select company of Jacob will be like an island in the sea of peoples. They'll be like dew from God, like summer showers Not mentioned in the weather forecast, not subject to calculation or control. 8 Yes, the purged and select company of Jacob will be like an island in the sea of peoples, Like the king of beasts among wild beasts, like a young lion loose in a flock of sheep, Killing and devouring the lambs and no one able to stop him. 9 With your arms raised in triumph over your foes, your enemies will be no more! 10 "The day is coming" - God's Decree - "When there will be no more war. None. I'll slaughter your war horses and demolish your chariots. 11 I'll dismantle military posts and level your fortifications. 12 I'll abolish your religious black markets, your underworld traffic in black magic. 13 I will smash your carved and cast gods and chop down your phallic posts. No more taking control of the world, worshiping what you do or make. 14 I'll root out your sacred sex-and-power centers and destroy the God-defiant. 15 In raging anger, I'll make a clean sweep of godless nations who haven't listened."
31 Then I said: "Listen, leaders of Jacob, leaders of Israel: Don't you know anything of justice? 2 Haters of good, lovers of evil: Isn't justice in your job description? But you skin my people alive. You rip the meat off their bones. 3 You break up the bones, chop the meat, and throw it in a pot for cannibal stew." 4 The time's coming, though, when these same leaders will cry out for help to God, but he won't listen. He'll turn his face the other way because of their history of evil. 5 Here is God's Message to the prophets, the preachers who lie to my people: "For as long as they're well paid and well fed, the prophets preach, 'Isn't life wonderful! Peace to all!' But if you don't pay up and jump on their bandwagon, their 'God bless you' turns into 'God damn you.' 6 Therefore, you're going blind. You'll see nothing. You'll live in deep shadows and know nothing. The sun has set on the prophets. They've had their day; from now on it's night. 7 Visionaries will be confused, experts will be all mixed up. They'll hide behind their reputations and make lame excuses to cover up their God-ignorance."
8 But me - I'm filled with God's power, filled with God's Spirit of justice and strength, Ready to confront Jacob's crime and Israel's sin. 9 The leaders of Jacob and the leaders of Israel are Leaders contemptuous of justice, who twist and distort right living, 10 Leaders who build Zion by killing people, who expand Jerusalem by committing crimes. 11 Judges sell verdicts to the highest bidder, priests mass-market their teaching, prophets preach for high fees, All the while posturing and pretending dependence on God: "We've got God on our side. He'll protect us from disaster." 12 Because of people like you, Zion will be turned back into farmland, Jerusalem end up as a pile of rubble, and instead of the Temple on the mountain, a few scraggly scrub pines.
