Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Covetousness » Punishment of
“Because of the wickedness of his unjust gain I was angry and struck him;
I hid My face and was angry,
And he went on turning away and backsliding, in the way of his [own willful] heart.
“He swallows [his ill-gotten] riches,
But will vomit them up;
God will drive them out of his belly.
But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness and dishonest gain, for shedding innocent blood, for oppression and doing violence. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: [Relatives] shall not lament for him, saying, Ah, my brother! or, Ah, sister, [how great our loss! Subjects] shall not lament for him saying, Ah, lord! or Ah, his majesty! or Ah, [how great was] his glory! [No] he shall be buried with the burial of a donkey -- "dragged out and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.
They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away; they oppress and crush a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, against this family I am planning a disaster from which you cannot remove your necks, nor will you be able to walk erect; for it will be an evil time.
Micah » One of the minor prophets » The oppressions of the covetous
Woe to those who devise iniquity and work out evil upon their beds! When the morning is light, they perform and practice it because it is in their power. They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away; they oppress and crush a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, against this family I am planning a disaster from which you cannot remove your necks, nor will you be able to walk erect; for it will be an evil time. read more.
In that day shall they take up a [taunting] parable against you and wail with a doleful and bitter lamentation and say, We are utterly ruined and laid waste! [God] changes the portion of my people. How He removes it from me! He divides our fields [to the rebellious, our captors]. Therefore you shall have no one to cast a line by lot upon a plot [of ground] in the assembly of the Lord. Do not preach, say the prophesying false prophets; one should not babble and harp on such things; disgrace will not overtake us [the reviling has no end]. O house of Jacob, shall it be said, Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted, impatient, and shortened? Or are these [prophesied plagues] His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly? But lately (yesterday) My people have stood up as an enemy [and have made Me their antagonist]. Off from the garment you strip the cloak of those who pass by in secure confidence of safety and are averse to war. The women of My people you cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away My glory forever. Arise and depart, for this is not the rest [which was promised to the righteous in Canaan], because of uncleanness that works destruction, even a sharp and grievous destruction. If a man walking in a spirit [of vanity] and in falsehood should lie and say, I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink, O Israel, he would even be the acceptable prophet of this people!
In that day shall they take up a [taunting] parable against you and wail with a doleful and bitter lamentation and say, We are utterly ruined and laid waste! [God] changes the portion of my people. How He removes it from me! He divides our fields [to the rebellious, our captors]. Therefore you shall have no one to cast a line by lot upon a plot [of ground] in the assembly of the Lord. Do not preach, say the prophesying false prophets; one should not babble and harp on such things; disgrace will not overtake us [the reviling has no end]. O house of Jacob, shall it be said, Is the Spirit of the Lord restricted, impatient, and shortened? Or are these [prophesied plagues] His doings? Do not My words do good to him who walks uprightly? But lately (yesterday) My people have stood up as an enemy [and have made Me their antagonist]. Off from the garment you strip the cloak of those who pass by in secure confidence of safety and are averse to war. The women of My people you cast out from their pleasant houses; from their young children you take away My glory forever. Arise and depart, for this is not the rest [which was promised to the righteous in Canaan], because of uncleanness that works destruction, even a sharp and grievous destruction. If a man walking in a spirit [of vanity] and in falsehood should lie and say, I will prophesy to you of wine and strong drink, O Israel, he would even be the acceptable prophet of this people!
Riches » Denunciations against those who » Increase, by oppression
He who oppresses or exploits the poor to get more for himself
Or who gives to the rich [to gain influence and favor], will only come to poverty.
They covet fields and seize them, and houses and take them away; they oppress and crush a man and his house, a man and his inheritance. Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, against this family I am planning a disaster from which you cannot remove your necks, nor will you be able to walk erect; for it will be an evil time.
Shall not all these [victims of his greed] take up a taunt against him and in scoffing derision of him say, Woe to him who piles up that which is not his! [How long will he possess it?] And [woe to him] who loads himself with promissory notes for usury! Shall [your debtors] not rise up suddenly who shall bite you, exacting usury of you, and those awake who will vex you [toss you to and fro and make you tremble violently]? Then you will be booty for them. Because you [king of Babylon] have plundered many nations, all who are left of the people shall plunder you -- "because of men's blood and for the violence done to the earth, to the city and all the people who live in each city.