Study Desk

For all tables are full of filthy vomit, with no space left.

For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little."

For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people,

Because you have said, "We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we have an agreement, when the overwhelming whip passes through it will not come to us, for we have made lies our refuge, and in falsehood we have taken shelter";

As often as it passes through it will take you; for morning by morning it will pass through, by day and by night; and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.

For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on, and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in.

For the Lord will rise up as on Mount Perazim; as in the Valley of Gibeon he will be roused; to do his deed—strange is his deed! and to work his work—alien is his work!

Now therefore do not scoff, lest your bonds be made strong; for I have heard a decree of destruction from the Lord God of hosts against the whole land.

Does he who plows for sowing plow continually? Does he continually open and harrow his ground?

For he is rightly instructed; his God teaches him.

Does one crush grain for bread? No, he does not thresh it forever; when he drives his cart wheel over it with his horses, he does not crush it.

For the Lord has poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes (the prophets), and covered your heads (the seers).

And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, "Read this," he says, "I cannot, for it is sealed."

For the ruthless shall come to nothing and the scoffer cease, and all who watch to do evil shall be cut off,

who by a word make a man out to be an offender, and lay a snare for him who reproves in the gate, and with an empty plea turn aside him who is in the right.

For when he sees his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, they will sanctify my name; they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!

For though his officials are at Zoan and his envoys reach Hanes,

And now, go, write it before them on a tablet and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness forever.

For they are a rebellious people, lying children, children unwilling to hear the instruction of the Lord ;