Study Desk

A prophecy against Tyre:^(a) Wail,^(b) you ships^(c) of Tarshish!^(d) For Tyre is destroyed^(e) and left without house or harbor. From the land of Cyprus word has come to them.

Be silent,^(f) you people of the island and you merchants^(g) of Sidon,^(h) whom the seafarers have enriched.

On the great waters came the grain of the Shihor;⁽ⁱ⁾ the harvest of the Nile^[a](j) was the revenue of Tyre,^(k) and she became the marketplace of the nations.

Be ashamed, Sidon,^(l) and you fortress of the sea, for the sea has spoken: "I have neither been in labor nor given birth;^(m) I have neither reared sons nor brought up daughters."

When word comes to Egypt, they will be in anguish⁽ⁿ⁾ at the report from Tyre.^(o)

Cross over to Tarshish;^(p) wail, you people of the island.

Is this your city of revelry,^(q) the old, old city, whose feet have taken her to settle in far-off lands?

Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants^(r) are princes, whose traders^(s) are renowned in the earth?

The Lord Almighty planned^(t) it, to bring down^(u) her pride in all her splendor and to humble^(v) all who are renowned^(w) on the earth.

Till^[b] your land as they do along the Nile, Daughter Tarshish, for you no longer have a harbor.

The Lord has stretched out his hand^(x) over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble.^(y) He has given an order concerning Phoenicia that her fortresses be destroyed.^(z)

He said, "No more of your reveling,^(aa) Virgin Daughter^(ab) Sidon, now crushed! "Up, cross over to Cyprus;^(ac) even there you will find no rest."

Look at the land of the Babylonians,^[c](ad) this people that is now of no account! The Assyrians^(ae) have made it a place for desert creatures;^(af) they raised up their siege towers,^(ag) they stripped its fortresses bare and turned it into a ruin.^(ah)

Wail, you ships^(ai) of Tarshish;^(aj) your fortress is destroyed!^(ak)

At that time Tyre^(al) will be forgotten for seventy years,^(am) the span of a king's life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:

"Take up a harp, walk through the city, you forgotten prostitute;^(an) play the harp well, sing many a song, so that you will be remembered."

At the end of seventy years,^(ao) the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution^(ap) and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth.^(aq)

Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord ;^(ar) they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord ,^(as) for abundant food and fine clothes.^(at)

See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth^(a) and devastate^(b) it; he will ruin its face and scatter^(c) its inhabitants—

it will be the same for priest as for people,^(d) for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer,^(e) for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor.^(f)

The earth will be completely laid waste^(g) and totally plundered.^(h) The Lord has spoken⁽ⁱ⁾ this word.

The earth dries up^(j) and withers,^(k) the world languishes and withers, the heavens^(l) languish with the earth.^(m)

The earth is defiled⁽ⁿ⁾ by its people; they have disobeyed^(o) the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant.^(p)

Therefore a curse^(q) consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth's inhabitants are burned up,^(r) and very few are left.

The new wine dries up^(s) and the vine withers;^(t) all the merrymakers groan.^(u)

The joyful timbrels^(v) are stilled, the noise^(w) of the revelers^(x) has stopped, the joyful harp^(y) is silent.^(z)

No longer do they drink wine^(aa) with a song; the beer is bitter^(ab) to its drinkers.

The ruined city^(ac) lies desolate;^(ad) the entrance to every house is barred.

In the streets they cry out^(ae) for wine;^(af) all joy turns to gloom,^(ag) all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.

The city is left in ruins,^(ah) its gate^(ai) is battered to pieces.

So will it be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten,^(aj) or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.^(ak)

They raise their voices, they shout for joy;^(al) from the west^(am) they acclaim the Lord 's majesty.

Therefore in the east^(an) give glory^(ao) to the Lord ; exalt^(ap) the name^(aq) of the Lord , the God of Israel, in the islands^(ar) of the sea.

From the ends of the earth^(as) we hear singing:^(at) "Glory^(au) to the Righteous One."^(av) But I said, "I waste away, I waste away!^(aw) Woe^(ax) to me! The treacherous^(ay) betray! With treachery the treacherous betray!^(az)"

Terror^(ba) and pit and snare^(bb) await you, people of the earth.^(bc)

Whoever flees^(bd) at the sound of terror will fall into a pit;^(be) whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare.^(bf) The floodgates of the heavens^(bg) are opened, the foundations of the earth shake.^(bh)

The earth is broken up,^(bi) the earth is split asunder,^(bj) the earth is violently shaken.

The earth reels like a drunkard,^(bk) it sways like a hut^(bl) in the wind; so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion^(bm) that it falls^(bn)—never to rise again.^(bo)

In that day^(bp) the Lord will punish^(bq) the powers^(br) in the heavens above and the kings^(bs) on the earth below.

They will be herded together like prisoners^(bt) bound in a dungeon;^(bu) they will be shut up in prison and be punished^[a] after many days.^(bv)

The moon will be dismayed, the sun^(bw) ashamed; for the Lord Almighty will reign^(bx) on Mount Zion^(by) and in Jerusalem, and before its elders—with great glory.^(bz)

Lord , you are my God;^(a) I will exalt you and praise your name,^(b) for in perfect faithfulness^(c) you have done wonderful things,^(d) things planned^(e) long ago.

You have made the city a heap of rubble,^(f) the fortified^(g) town a ruin,^(h) the foreigners' stronghold⁽ⁱ⁾ a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.^(j)

Therefore strong peoples will honor you;^(k) cities of ruthless^(l) nations will revere you.

You have been a refuge^(m) for the poor,⁽ⁿ⁾ a refuge for the needy^(o) in their distress, a shelter from the storm^(p) and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless^(q) is like a storm driving against a wall

and like the heat of the desert. You silence^(r) the uproar of foreigners;^(s) as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless^(t) is stilled.

On this mountain^(u) the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast^(v) of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines.^(w)

On this mountain he will destroy the shroud^(x) that enfolds all peoples,^(y) the sheet that covers all nations;

he will swallow up death^(z) forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears^(aa) from all faces; he will remove his people's disgrace^(ab) from all the earth. The Lord has spoken.^(ac)

In that day^(ad) they will say, "Surely this is our God;^(ae) we trusted^(af) in him, and he saved^(ag) us. This is the Lord , we trusted in him; let us rejoice^(ah) and be glad in his salvation."^(ai)

The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain;^(aj) but Moab^(ak) will be trampled in their land as straw is trampled down in the manure.

They will stretch out their hands in it, as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim. God will bring down^(al) their pride^(am) despite the cleverness^[a] of their hands.

He will bring down your high fortified walls^(an) and lay them low;^(ao) he will bring them down to the ground, to the very dust.

In that day^(a) this song will be sung^(b) in the land of Judah: We have a strong city;^(c) God makes salvation its walls^(d) and ramparts.^(e)

Open the gates^(f) that the righteous^(g) nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.

You will keep in perfect peace^(h) those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust⁽ⁱ⁾ in you.

Trust^(j) in the Lord forever,^(k) for the Lord , the Lord himself, is the Rock^(l) eternal.

He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground^(m) and casts it down to the dust.⁽ⁿ⁾

Feet trample^(o) it down— the feet of the oppressed,^(p) the footsteps of the poor.^(q)

The path of the righteous is level;^(r) you, the Upright One,^(s) make the way of the righteous smooth.^(t)

Yes, Lord , walking in the way of your laws,^[a](u) we wait^(v) for you; your name^(w) and renown are the desire of our hearts.

My soul yearns for you in the night;^(x) in the morning my spirit longs^(y) for you. When your judgments^(z) come upon the earth, the people of the world learn righteousness.^(aa)

But when grace is shown to the wicked,^(ab) they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil^(ac) and do not regard^(ad) the majesty of the Lord .

Lord , your hand is lifted high,^(ae) but they do not see^(af) it. Let them see your zeal^(ag) for your people and be put to shame;^(ah) let the fire^(ai) reserved for your enemies consume them.

Lord , you establish peace^(aj) for us; all that we have accomplished you have done^(ak) for us.

Lord our God, other lords^(al) besides you have ruled over us, but your name^(am) alone do we honor.^(an)

They are now dead,^(ao) they live no more; their spirits^(ap) do not rise. You punished them and brought them to ruin;^(aq) you wiped out all memory of them.^(ar)

You have enlarged the nation, Lord ; you have enlarged the nation.^(as) You have gained glory for yourself; you have extended all the borders^(at) of the land.

Lord , they came to you in their distress;^(au) when you disciplined^(av) them, they could barely whisper^(aw) a prayer.^[b]

As a pregnant woman about to give birth^(ax) writhes and cries out in her pain, so were we in your presence, Lord .

We were with child, we writhed in labor, but we gave birth^(ay) to wind. We have not brought salvation^(az) to the earth, and the people of the world have not come to life.^(ba)

But your dead^(bb) will live, Lord ; their bodies will rise— let those who dwell in the dust^(bc) wake up and shout for joy— your dew^(bd) is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead.^(be)

Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors^(bf) behind you; hide^(bg) yourselves for a little while until his wrath^(bh) has passed by.^(bi)

See, the Lord is coming^(bj) out of his dwelling^(bk) to punish^(bl) the people of the earth for their sins. The earth will disclose the blood^(bm) shed on it; the earth will conceal its slain no longer.

In that day,^(a) the Lord will punish with his sword^(b)— his fierce, great and powerful sword— Leviathan^(c) the gliding serpent,^(d) Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster^(e) of the sea.

In that day^(f)— "Sing^(g) about a fruitful vineyard:^(h)

I, the Lord , watch over it; I water⁽ⁱ⁾ it continually. I guard^(j) it day and night so that no one may harm^(k) it.

I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle; I would set them all on fire.^(l)

Or else let them come to me for refuge;^(m) let them make peace⁽ⁿ⁾ with me, yes, let them make peace with me."

In days to come Jacob will take root,^(o) Israel will bud and blossom^(p) and fill all the world with fruit.^(q)

Has the Lord struck her as he struck^(r) down those who struck her? Has she been killed as those were killed who killed her?

By warfare^[a] and exile^(s) you contend with her— with his fierce blast he drives her out, as on a day the east wind^(t) blows.

By this, then, will Jacob's guilt be atoned^(u) for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:^(v) When he makes all the altar stones^(w) to be like limestone crushed to pieces, no Asherah poles^[b](x) or incense altars^(y) will be left standing.

The fortified city stands desolate,^(z) an abandoned settlement, forsaken^(aa) like the wilderness; there the calves graze,^(ab) there they lie down;^(ac) they strip its branches bare.

When its twigs are dry, they are broken off^(ad) and women come and make fires^(ae) with them. For this is a people without understanding;^(af) so their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator^(ag) shows them no favor.^(ah)

In that day the Lord will thresh^(ai) from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt,^(aj) and you, Israel, will be gathered^(ak) up one by one.

And in that day^(al) a great trumpet^(am) will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled^(an) in Egypt^(ao) will come and worship^(ap) the Lord on the holy mountain^(aq) in Jerusalem.