Study Desk

But the people have not returned^(at) to him who struck^(au) them, nor have they sought^(av) the Lord Almighty.

So the Lord will cut off from Israel both head and tail, both palm branch and reed^(aw) in a single day;^(ax)

the elders^(ay) and dignitaries^(az) are the head, the prophets^(ba) who teach lies^(bb) are the tail.

Those who guide^(bc) this people mislead them, and those who are guided are led astray.^(bd)

Therefore the Lord will take no pleasure in the young men,^(be) nor will he pity^(bf) the fatherless and widows, for everyone is ungodly^(bg) and wicked,^(bh) every mouth speaks folly.^(bi) Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.^(bj)

Surely wickedness burns like a fire;^(bk) it consumes briers and thorns,^(bl) it sets the forest thickets ablaze,^(bm) so that it rolls upward in a column of smoke.

By the wrath^(bn) of the Lord Almighty the land will be scorched^(bo) and the people will be fuel for the fire;^(bp) they will not spare one another.^(bq)

On the right they will devour, but still be hungry;^(br) on the left they will eat,^(bs) but not be satisfied. Each will feed on the flesh of their own offspring^[b]:

Manasseh will feed on Ephraim, and Ephraim on Manasseh;^(bt) together they will turn against Judah.^(bu) Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised.^(bv)

Woe^(a) to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees,^(b)

to deprive^(c) the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people,^(d) making widows their prey and robbing the fatherless.^(e)

What will you do on the day of reckoning,^(f) when disaster^(g) comes from afar? To whom will you run for help?^(h) Where will you leave your riches?

Nothing will remain but to cringe among the captives⁽ⁱ⁾ or fall among the slain.^(j) Yet for all this, his anger is not turned away,^(k) his hand is still upraised.

"Woe^(l) to the Assyrian,^(m) the rod⁽ⁿ⁾ of my anger, in whose hand is the club^(o) of my wrath!^(p)

I send him against a godless^(q) nation, I dispatch^(r) him against a people who anger me,^(s) to seize loot and snatch plunder,^(t) and to trample^(u) them down like mud in the streets.

But this is not what he intends,^(v) this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations.

‘Are not my commanders^(w) all kings?' he says.

‘Has not Kalno^(x) fared like Carchemish?^(y) Is not Hamath^(z) like Arpad,^(aa) and Samaria^(ab) like Damascus?^(ac)

As my hand seized the kingdoms of the idols,^(ad) kingdoms whose images excelled those of Jerusalem and Samaria—

shall I not deal with Jerusalem and her images as I dealt with Samaria and her idols?^(ae)'"

When the Lord has finished all his work^(af) against Mount Zion^(ag) and Jerusalem, he will say, "I will punish the king of Assyria^(ah) for the willful pride^(ai) of his heart and the haughty look^(aj) in his eyes.

For he says: "‘By the strength of my hand^(ak) I have done this,^(al) and by my wisdom, because I have understanding. I removed the boundaries of nations, I plundered their treasures;^(am) like a mighty one I subdued^[a] their kings.^(an)

As one reaches into a nest,^(ao) so my hand reached for the wealth^(ap) of the nations; as people gather abandoned eggs, so I gathered all the countries;^(aq) not one flapped a wing, or opened its mouth to chirp.^(ar)'"

Does the ax raise itself above the person who swings it, or the saw boast against the one who uses it?^(as) As if a rod were to wield the person who lifts it up, or a club^(at) brandish the one who is not wood!

Therefore, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will send a wasting disease^(au) upon his sturdy warriors;^(av) under his pomp^(aw) a fire^(ax) will be kindled like a blazing flame.

The Light of Israel will become a fire,^(ay) their Holy One^(az) a flame; in a single day it will burn and consume his thorns^(ba) and his briers.^(bb)

The splendor of his forests^(bc) and fertile fields it will completely destroy,^(bd) as when a sick person wastes away.

And the remaining trees of his forests^(be) will be so few^(bf) that a child could write them down.

In that day^(bg) the remnant of Israel, the survivors^(bh) of Jacob, will no longer rely^(bi) on him who struck them down^(bj) but will truly rely^(bk) on the Lord , the Holy One of Israel.^(bl)

A remnant^(bm) will return,^[b](bn) a remnant of Jacob will return to the Mighty God.^(bo)

Though your people be like the sand^(bp) by the sea, Israel, only a remnant will return.^(bq) Destruction has been decreed,^(br) overwhelming and righteous.

The Lord, the Lord Almighty, will carry out the destruction decreed^(bs) upon the whole land.^(bt)

Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord Almighty, says: "My people who live in Zion,^(bu) do not be afraid^(bv) of the Assyrians, who beat^(bw) you with a rod^(bx) and lift up a club against you, as Egypt did.

Very soon^(by) my anger against you will end and my wrath^(bz) will be directed to their destruction.^(ca)"

The Lord Almighty will lash^(cb) them with a whip, as when he struck down Midian^(cc) at the rock of Oreb; and he will raise his staff^(cd) over the waters,^(ce) as he did in Egypt.

In that day^(cf) their burden^(cg) will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke^(ch) from your neck;^(ci) the yoke^(cj) will be broken because you have grown so fat.^[c]

They enter Aiath; they pass through Migron;^(ck) they store supplies^(cl) at Mikmash.^(cm)

They go over the pass, and say, "We will camp overnight at Geba.^(cn)" Ramah^(co) trembles; Gibeah^(cp) of Saul flees.^(cq)

Cry out, Daughter Gallim!^(cr) Listen, Laishah! Poor Anathoth!^(cs)

Madmenah is in flight; the people of Gebim take cover.

This day they will halt at Nob;^(ct) they will shake their fist^(cu) at the mount of Daughter Zion,^(cv) at the hill of Jerusalem.

See, the Lord, the Lord Almighty, will lop off^(cw) the boughs with great power. The lofty trees will be felled,^(cx) the tall^(cy) ones will be brought low.^(cz)

He will cut down^(da) the forest thickets with an ax; Lebanon^(db) will fall before the Mighty One.^(dc)

A shoot^(a) will come up from the stump^(b) of Jesse;^(c) from his roots a Branch^(d) will bear fruit.^(e)

The Spirit^(f) of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom^(g) and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might,^(h) the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord —

and he will delight in the fear⁽ⁱ⁾ of the Lord . He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,^(j) or decide by what he hears with his ears;^(k)

but with righteousness^(l) he will judge the needy,^(m) with justice⁽ⁿ⁾ he will give decisions for the poor^(o) of the earth. He will strike^(p) the earth with the rod of his mouth;^(q) with the breath^(r) of his lips he will slay the wicked.^(s)

Righteousness will be his belt^(t) and faithfulness^(u) the sash around his waist.^(v)

The wolf will live with the lamb,^(w) the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling^[a] together; and a little child will lead them.

The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox.^(x)

The infant^(y) will play near the cobra's den, and the young child will put its hand into the viper's^(z) nest.

They will neither harm nor destroy^(aa) on all my holy mountain,^(ab) for the earth^(ac) will be filled with the knowledge^(ad) of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

In that day^(ae) the Root of Jesse^(af) will stand as a banner^(ag) for the peoples; the nations^(ah) will rally to him,^(ai) and his resting place^(aj) will be glorious.^(ak)

In that day^(al) the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant^(am) of his people from Assyria,^(an) from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt,^(ao) from Cush,^[b](ap) from Elam,^(aq) from Babylonia,^[c] from Hamath^(ar) and from the islands^(as) of the Mediterranean.^(at)

He will raise a banner^(au) for the nations and gather^(av) the exiles of Israel;^(aw) he will assemble the scattered people^(ax) of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.^(ay)

Ephraim's jealousy will vanish, and Judah's enemies^[d] will be destroyed; Ephraim will not be jealous of Judah, nor Judah hostile toward Ephraim.^(az)

They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia^(ba) to the west; together they will plunder the people to the east.^(bb) They will subdue Edom^(bc) and Moab,^(bd) and the Ammonites^(be) will be subject to them.^(bf)

The Lord will dry up^(bg) the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind^(bh) he will sweep his hand^(bi) over the Euphrates River.^(bj) He will break it up into seven streams so that anyone can cross over in sandals.^(bk)

There will be a highway^(bl) for the remnant^(bm) of his people that is left from Assyria,^(bn) as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt.^(bo)

In that day^(a) you will say: "I will praise^(b) you, Lord . Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away^(c) and you have comforted^(d) me.

Surely God is my salvation;^(e) I will trust^(f) and not be afraid. The Lord , the Lord himself,^(g) is my strength^(h) and my defense^[a]; he has become my salvation.⁽ⁱ⁾"

With joy you will draw water^(j) from the wells^(k) of salvation.

In that day^(l) you will say: "Give praise to the Lord , proclaim his name;^(m) make known among the nations⁽ⁿ⁾ what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.^(o)

Sing^(p) to the Lord , for he has done glorious things;^(q) let this be known to all the world.

Shout aloud and sing for joy,^(r) people of Zion, for great^(s) is the Holy One of Israel^(t) among you.^(u)"

A Prophecy Against Babylon

A prophecy^(a) against Babylon^(b) that Isaiah son of Amoz^(c) saw:^(d)

Raise a banner^(e) on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates^(f) of the nobles.

I have commanded those I prepared for battle; I have summoned my warriors^(g) to carry out my wrath^(h)— those who rejoice⁽ⁱ⁾ in my triumph.

Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude!^(j) Listen, an uproar^(k) among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The Lord Almighty^(l) is mustering^(m) an army for war.

They come from faraway lands, from the ends of the heavens⁽ⁿ⁾— the Lord and the weapons^(o) of his wrath^(p)— to destroy^(q) the whole country.

Wail,^(r) for the day^(s) of the Lord is near; it will come like destruction^(t) from the Almighty.^[a](u)

Because of this, all hands will go limp,^(v) every heart will melt with fear.^(w)

Terror^(x) will seize them, pain and anguish will grip^(y) them; they will writhe like a woman in labor.^(z) They will look aghast at each other, their faces aflame.^(aa)

See, the day^(ab) of the Lord is coming —a cruel^(ac) day, with wrath^(ad) and fierce anger^(ae)— to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it.

The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light.^(af) The rising sun^(ag) will be darkened^(ah) and the moon will not give its light.^(ai)

I will punish^(aj) the world for its evil, the wicked^(ak) for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty^(al) and will humble^(am) the pride of the ruthless.^(an)

I will make people^(ao) scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir.^(ap)

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;^(aq) and the earth will shake^(ar) from its place at the wrath^(as) of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.^(at)

Like a hunted^(au) gazelle, like sheep without a shepherd,^(av) they will all return to their own people, they will flee^(aw) to their native land.^(ax)

Whoever is captured will be thrust through; all who are caught will fall^(ay) by the sword.^(az)

Their infants^(ba) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes; their houses will be looted and their wives violated.^(bb)