Behold, the princes of Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood.
Parallel translations
- WEB “‘“Behold, the princes of Israel, everyone according to his power, have been in you to shed blood.
- BSB See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.
- NKJV “Look, the princes of Israel: each one has used his power to shed blood in you.
- NASB “Behold, the rulers of Israel, each according to his power, have been among you for the purpose of shedding blood.
- NLT “Every leader in Israel who lives within your walls is bent on murder.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The princes of Israel have each used their power to shed blood within the city. Leaders abuse their authority for violence.
Overview
The indictment begins with the rulers, who were meant to protect but instead used their strength to murder and oppress. Their abuse of power corrupts the whole society. Scripture holds leaders to account, for those entrusted with authority bear heavier responsibility before God (James 3:1).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 11
- Isa 1:23Thy princes are rebellious, and companions of thieves: every one loveth gifts, and followeth after rewards: they judge not the fatherless, neither doth the cause of the widow come unto them.
- Ezek 22:27Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.
- Neh 9:34Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.
- Zech 3:3Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.
- Mic 3:1–3And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?
- Dan 9:8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
- Jer 2:26–27As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,
- Mic 2:1Woe 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.
- Jer 32:32Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
- Mic 3:9–11Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.
- Jer 5:5I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
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Christ at the center
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Original language
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