Study Desk

Wail, you shepherds, and cry out;And roll yourselves in ashes, you masters of the flock;For the days of your slaughter and your scatterings are being fulfilled,And you will fall like a desirable vessel.

Hear the sound of the cry of the shepherds,And the wailing of the mighty ones of the flock!For Yahweh is destroying their pasture,

He has forsaken His hiding place like the lion;For their land has become an object of horrorBecause of the burning desire of the oppressorAnd because of His burning anger."

Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, "A judgment of death for this man! For he has prophesied against this city as you have heard in your hearing."

But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your eyes.

Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on its inhabitants; for truly Yahweh has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing."

Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, "No judgment of death for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our God."

thus says Yahweh to me—"Make for yourself bonds and the bars of a yoke and put them on your neck,

But as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.'

For they prophesy a lie to you in order to remove you far from your land; and I will banish you, and you will perish.

So do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they prophesy a lie to you;

for I have not sent them," declares Yahweh, "but they prophesy a lie in My name, in order that I may banish you and that you may perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you."

Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, "Thus says Yahweh: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the house of Yahweh will now shortly be returned from Babylon'; for they are prophesying a lie to you.

For thus says Yahweh of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the stands, and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city,

I am also going to return to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,' declares Yahweh, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'"

For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, "I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. And I have even given him the beasts of the field."'"

Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.

Seek the peace of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to Yahweh on its behalf; for in its peace you will have peace.'

For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst and your diviners deceive you, and do not listen to your dreams which you dream.

For they prophesy a lie to you in My name; I have not sent them,' declares Yahweh.