Study Desk

"David's tent has fallen, but at that time I will set it up again. I will fix its holes and repair its ruined parts. I will set it up as it was before.

But the enemy will search hard for Esau's hidden treasures, and they will find them all.

But there will be survivors on Mount Zion. They will be my special people. The nation of Jacob will take back what belongs to it.

The family of Jacob will be like a fire. The nation of Joseph will be like a flame. But the nation of Esau will be like ashes. The people of Judah will burn Edom, and they will destroy it. Then there will be no survivors in the nation of Esau." This will happen because the Lord said it would.

People from Israel were forced to leave their homes, but they will take back the land of Canaan, all the way to Zarephath. People from Judah were forced to leave Jerusalem and live in Sepharad. But they will take back the cities of the Negev.

But Jonah tried to run away from the Lord . He went to Joppa and found a boat that was going to the faraway city of Tarshish. Jonah paid money for the trip and went on the boat. He wanted to travel with the people on this boat to Tarshish and run away from the Lord .

But the Lord brought a great storm on the sea. The wind made the sea very rough. The storm was very strong, and the boat was ready to break apart.

Instead, the men tried to row the ship back to the shore, but they couldn't do it. The wind and the waves of the sea were too strong—and they were becoming stronger and stronger.

Then I thought, ‘Now I must go where you cannot see me,' but I continued looking to your holy Temple for help.

I was at the bottom of the sea, the place where the mountains begin. I thought I was locked in this prison forever, but the Lord my God took me out of my grave. God, you gave me life again!

"My soul gave up all hope, but then I remembered the Lord . I prayed to you, and you heard my prayers in your holy Temple.

"Some people worship useless idols, but those statues never help them.

But every person and every animal must be covered with a special cloth to show they are sad. People must cry loudly to God. Everyone must change their life and stop doing bad things.

But God said to Jonah, "Do you think it is right for you to be angry just because this plant died?" Jonah answered, "Yes, it is right for me to be angry! I am angry enough to die!"

So I will change Samaria into a pile of rocks in the field, a place ready for planting grapes. I will push Samaria's stones down into the valley, leaving nothing but the foundations.

But people of Jacob, I must say these things. The Lord is losing his patience because of the bad things you did. If you lived right, I could say nice words to you.

But you attack my people like enemies. You steal the clothes off the backs of people walking by. They think they are safe, but you are there to treat them like prisoners of war.

These people don't want to listen to me. But if a man comes telling lies, they will accept him. They would accept a false prophet if he comes and says, "There will be good times in the future, with plenty of wine and beer."

But you hate good and love evil. You tear the skin off the people and tear the flesh off their bones.

Then you will pray to the Lord , but he will not answer you. No, he will hide his face from you, because what you do is evil."