Study Desk

Woe to her who is ^(C1)rebellious and ^(C2)defiled, The ^(C3)oppressive city!

She ^(C1)obeyed no voice, She ^(C2)accepted no discipline. She did not ^(C3)trust in the LORD, She did not ^(C4)approach her God.

Her ^(C1)leaders within her are roaring lions, Her judges are ^(C2)wolves at evening; They have no bones to gnaw in the morning.

Her prophets are ^(C1)insolent, treacherous men; Her ^(C2)priests have profaned the sanctuary. They have done violence to the Law.

The LORD is ^(C1)righteous ^(C2)within her; He will ^(C3)do no injustice. ^(C4)Every morning He brings His justice to light; He ^(F1)does not fail. But the ^(F2)criminal ^(C5)knows no shame.

"I have eliminated nations; Their corner towers are deserted. I have ^(C1)laid waste their streets, With no one passing by; Their ^(C2)cities have been laid waste, Without a person, ^(C3)without an inhabitant.

-"I said, 'You will certainly revere Me, You will ^(C1)accept discipline.' So her dwelling will ^(C2)not be eliminated In accordance with everything that I have stipulated for her. Instead, they were eager to ^(C3)corrupt all their deeds.

"Therefore ^(C1)wait for Me," declares the LORD, "For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to ^(C2)gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For ^(C3)all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal.

-"For then I will ^(F1)restore to the peoples ^(C1)pure lips, So that all of them may ^(C2)call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him ^(F2)shoulder to shoulder.

-"From beyond the rivers of ^(C1)Ethiopia My worshipers, ^(F1)My dispersed ones, Will ^(C2)bring My offerings.

-"On that day you will ^(C1)feel no shame Because of all your deeds By which you have rebelled against Me; For then I will remove from your midst Your ^(C2)proud, arrogant ones, And you will never again be haughty On My ^(C3)holy mountain.

-"But I will leave among you A ^(C1)humble and lowly people, And they will ^(C2)take refuge in the name of the LORD.

-"The ^(C1)remnant of Israel will ^(C2)do no wrong And ^(C3)tell no lies, Nor will a deceitful tongue Be found in their mouths; For they will ^(C4)feed and lie down With no one to frighten them."

Shout for joy, daughter of Zion! ^(C1)Shout in triumph, Israel! Rejoice and triumph with all your heart, Daughter of Jerusalem!

The LORD has taken away ^(C1)His judgments against you, He has cleared away your enemies. The King of Israel, the LORD, is ^(C2)in your midst; You will no longer ^(C3)fear disaster.

^(C1)On that day it will be said to Jerusalem: "^(C2)Do not be afraid, Zion; ^(C3)Do not let your hands fall limp.

-"The LORD your God is ^(C1)in your midst, A ^(F1)(C2)victorious warrior. He will ^(C3)rejoice over you with joy, He will ^(F2)be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.

-"I will gather those who are ^(C1)worried about the appointed feasts— They ^(F1)came from you, Zion; The disgrace of exile is a burden on ^(F2)them.

-"Behold, I am going to deal at that time With all your ^(C1)oppressors; I will save ^(C2)those who limp And gather the scattered, And I will turn their ^(C3)shame into ^(C4)praise and fame In all the earth.

-"At that time I will ^(C1)bring you in, Even at the time when I gather you together; Indeed, I will make you ^(C2)famous and praiseworthy Among all the peoples of the earth, When I ^(C3)restore your fortunes before your eyes," Says the LORD.