Study Desk

"They bend their tongue like their bow;Lies and unfaithfulness prevail in the land,For they go onward from evil to evil,And they do not know Me," declares Yahweh.

Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts,"Behold, I will refine them and test them;For what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people?

Their tongue is a slaughtering arrow;It speaks deceit;With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor,But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.

Shall I not punish them for these things?" declares Yahweh."On a nation such as thisShall I not avenge Myself?

"For the mountains I will take up a weeping and wailing,And for the pastures of the wilderness a funeral lamentation,Because they are turned into ruin so that no one passes through,And the lowing of the cattle is not heard;Both the birds of the sky and the beasts have fled; they are gone.

Thus says Yahweh of hosts,"Carefully consider and call for the mourning women, that they may come;And send for the skillful women, that they may come!

Let them make haste and take up a wailing for us,That our eyes may shed tearsAnd our eyelids flow with water.

For a voice of wailing is heard from Zion,‘How we are destroyed!We are put to great shame,For we have left the landBecause they have cast down our dwellings.'"

For death has come up through our windows;It has entered our palacesTo cut off the infants from the streets,The choice men from the open squares.

but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am Yahweh who shows lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares Yahweh.

Egypt and Judah, and Edom and the sons of Ammon, and Moab and all those inhabiting the desert who clip the hair on their temples; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised of heart."

For the statutes of the peoples are vanityBecause it is wood cut from the forest,The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.

Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they,And they cannot speak;They must be carriedBecause they cannot take a step!Do not fear them,For they can do no harm,Nor can they do any good."

Who would not fear You, O King of the nations?Indeed it is Your due!For among all the wise men of the nationsAnd in all their kingdoms,There is none like You.

When He gives forth His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,And He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;He makes lightning for the rain,And brings out the wind from His storehouses.

Every man is senseless, devoid of knowledge;Every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven images;For his molten images are a lie,And there is no breath in them.

The portion of Jacob is not like these;For the Maker of all is He,And Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;Yahweh of hosts is His name.

For thus says Yahweh,"Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the landAt this time,And will cause them distress,That they may find it."

For the shepherds have become senselessAnd have not sought Yahweh;Therefore they have not prospered,And all their flock is scattered.

Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know YouAnd on the families that do not call Your name,For they have devoured Jacob;They have devoured him and consumed himAnd have made desolate his abode.