Study Desk

Go and cry these words toward the north, and say, Return, O apostate Israel, says Jehovah. I will not cause My face to fall on you, for I am merciful, says Jehovah; I will not keep anger forever.

Return, O apostate sons, declares Jehovah; for I am Lord over you. And I will take you, one from a city, and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come together out of the land of the north, to the land that I have given for an inheritance to your fathers.

A voice was heard weeping on the bare heights, pleadings of the sons of Israel; for they have perverted their way; they have forgotten Jehovah their God.

Return, O apostate sons; I will heal your apostasies. Behold, we come to You, for You are Jehovah our God.

Truly, for delusion comes from the hills, tumult on the mountains. Truly, in Jehovah our God is the salvation of Israel.

For the shameful thing has eaten up the labor of our fathers from our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covers us. For we have sinned against Jehovah our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even to this day. And we have not obeyed the voice of Jehovah our God.

For so says Jehovah to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow to the thorns.

Lift up a banner toward Zion. Flee for safety and do not wait. For I will bring evil from the north and a great ruin.

Clothe yourselves with sackcloth for this, wail and howl. For the fierce anger of Jehovah has not turned back from us.

A wind more full than these shall come for Me. Now I also will speak judgments against them.

Behold, he shall come up like clouds, and his chariots like a tempest. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!

For a voice announces from Dan, and proclaims evil from Mount Ephraim.

My bowels! My bowels! I convulse in pain. O walls of my heart! My heart is restless within me. I cannot be silent, for I have heard, O my soul, the sound of the ram's horn, the alarm of war!

Ruin on ruin has been called; for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment.

For My people are foolish. They do not know Me. They are stupid children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but they do not know to do good.

For so Jehovah has said, The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

The earth shall mourn for this, and the heavens above shall grow black, because I have seen, I have purposed and I will not repent, nor will I turn back from it.

For I have heard a voice as of a sick woman , the anguish as one bearing her first child, the voice of Zion's daughter gasping and spreading her hands, saying , Woe is to me now, for my soul faints because of murderers.