Study Desk

So that we may buy the poor [as slaves] for silver [since they are unable to support themselves] And the needy for a pair of sandals, And that we may sell the leftovers of the wheat [as if it were a good grade of grain]?"

"And I shall turn your festivals and feasts into mourning And all your songs into dirges (funeral poems to be sung); And I shall cause sackcloth to be put on everyone's loins And baldness on every head [shaved for mourning]. And I shall make that time like a time of mourning for an only son [who has died], And the end of it shall be like a bitter day.

"Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "When I will send hunger over the land, Not hunger for bread or a thirst for water, But rather [a hunger] for hearing the words of the LORD.

"People shall stagger from sea to sea [to the very ends of the earth] And from the north even to the east; They will roam here and there to seek the word of the LORD [longing for it as essential for life], But they will not find it.

"Though they dig into Sheol [to hide in the deepest pit], From there My hand will take them [for judgment]; And though they climb up to heaven [to hide in the realm of light], From there will I bring them down [for judgment].

"And though they go into captivity before their enemies, From there I shall command the sword to kill them, And I will set My eyes against them for evil (judgment, punishment) and not for good [that is, not for correction leading to restoration]."

"For behold, I am commanding, And I shall shake and sift the house of Israel among all nations [and cause it to tremble] Like grain is shaken in a sieve [removing the chaff], But not a kernel [of the faithful remnant] shall fall to the ground and be lost [from My sight].

"Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "When the plowman shall overtake the one who gathers the harvest, And the one who treads the grapes [shall overtake] him who sows the seed [for the harvest continues until planting time]; When the mountains will drip sweet wine And all the hills shall melt [that is, everything that was once barren will overflow with streams of blessing].

The vision of Obadiah. Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom— We have heard a report from the LORD, And an ambassador has been sent among the nations, saying, "Arise, and let us rise up against Edom for battle [with the LORD as commander]!"

"If thieves came to you, If robbers by night— How you will be ruined!— Would they not steal only until they had enough? If grape gatherers came to you, Would they not leave some grapes for gleaning?

"All the men allied with you Shall send you on your way to the border; The men who were at peace with you Shall deceive you and overpower you; Those who eat your bread [those you trust] Shall set a hostile ambush for you. (There is no understanding of it.)

"On the day that [Jerusalem was destroyed] you stood aloof [from your brother Jacob]— On the day that strangers took his forces captive and carried off his wealth, And foreigners entered his gates And cast lots for Jerusalem [dividing the city for plunder]— You too were like one of them [collaborating with the enemy].

"For the [judgment] day of the LORD draws near on all the nations. As you have done, it shall be done to you [in retribution]; Your [evil] dealings will return on your own head.

"But on Mount Zion [in Jerusalem] there shall be [deliverance for] those who escape, And it shall be holy [no pagan will defile it]; And the house of Jacob shall possess their [former] possessions.

"Then the house of Jacob shall be a fire And the house of Joseph a flame [in executing God's wrath]; But the house of Esau will be like stubble. They (Jacob) shall set them on fire and consume them (the Edomites), So that there shall be no survivor of the house of Esau," For the LORD has spoken.

"Go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim [judgment] against it, for their wickedness has come up before Me."

And they said to another, "Come, let us cast lots, so we may learn who is to blame for this disaster." So they cast lots and the lot fell on Jonah.

Then they said to him, "Now tell us! Who is to blame for this disaster? What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country?"

Then the men became extremely frightened and said to him, "How could you do this?" For the men knew that he was running from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Then they said to him, "What should we do to you, so that the sea will become calm for us?"—for the sea was becoming more and more violent.