א הוֹי הַחֹקְקִים חִקְקֵי אָוֶן וּמְכַתְּבִים — עָמָל כִּתֵּבוּ

Woe! The engravers of evil inscriptions and writers who write suffering. Laws and statues were often engraved on stone tablets which could endure for a long period of time. The prophet laments the fact that the laws and statutes engraved and recorded in other ways perpetuated crimes and iniquities.

ב לְהַטּוֹת מִדִּין דַּלִּים וְלִגְזֹל מִשְׁפַּט עֲנִיֵּי עַמִּי לִהְיוֹת אַלְמָנוֹת שְׁלָלָם וְאֶת יְתוֹמִים יָבֹזּוּ

These laws served to divert the destitute from equity, and to rob the poor of My people of their justice. Theft, robbery, and exploitation were performed not by forcefully taking others’ property, but by means of legislation that sanctioned despicable actions. Widows would be their spoils, and they would plunder orphans. The neediest ended up losing the most due the corrupt system of laws.