Her prophets coat their messages with whitewash.<n id="1" /> They see false visions and announce lying omens for them, saying, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says,&#8217; when the <sc>Lordsc> has not spoken.

<p class="poetry">Is there idolatry<n id="1" /> in Gilead?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Certainly its inhabitants<n id="3" /> will come to nothing!<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal?p> <p class="poetry">Surely their altars will be like stones heaped up on a plowed field!p>

You have said, &#8216;It is useless to serve God. How have we been helped<n id="1" /> by keeping his requirements and going about like mourners before the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all?<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">And you, Zion, city doomed to destruction,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you accomplish nothing<n id="2" /> by wearing a beautiful dress,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">decking yourself out in jewels of gold,p> <p class="poetry">and putting on eye shadow!<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">You are making yourself beautiful for nothing.p> <p class="poetry">Your lovers spurn you.p> <p class="poetry">They want to kill you.<n id="5" />p>

My hand will be against the prophets who see delusion and announce lying omens. They will not be included in the council<n id="1" /> of my people, nor be written in the registry<n id="2" /> of the house of Israel, nor enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">while seeing false visions for youp> <p class="poetry">and reading lying omens for you<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">to place that sword<n id="2" /> on the necks of the profane wicked,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">whose day has come,p> <p class="poetry">the time of final punishment.p>

For the household gods<n id="1" /> have spoken wickedness, the soothsayers have seen a lie, and as for the dreamers, they have disclosed emptiness and give comfort in vain. Therefore the people set out like sheep and become scattered because they have no shepherd.<n id="2" />