Study Desk

The pronouncement concerning the ^(C1)valley of vision: What is the matter with you now, that you have all gone up to the ^(C2)housetops?

You who were full of noise, You tumultuous town, you ^(C1)jubilant city; Your dead were ^(C2)not killed with the sword, Nor ^(F1)did they die in battle.

^(C1)All your rulers have fled together, And have been captured ^(F1)without the bow; All of you who were found were taken captive together, ^(F2)Though they had fled far away.

Therefore I say, "Look away from me, Let me ^(C1)weep bitterly, Do not ^(F1)try to comfort me concerning the destruction of the daughter of my people."

^(C1)For the Lord ^(F1)GOD of armies has a ^(C2)day of panic, ^(C3)subjugation, and confusion ^(C4)In the valley of vision, A breaking down of walls And a crying ^(F2)to the mountain.

^(C1)Elam picked up the quiver, With the chariots, ^(F1)infantry, and horsemen; And ^(C2)Kir uncovered the shield.

Then your choicest valleys were full of chariots, And the horsemen took positions at the gate.

And He removed the ^(F1)defense of Judah. On that day you ^(F2)depended on the weapons of the ^(C1)house of the forest,

And you saw that the breaches In the wall of the city of David were many; And you ^(C1)collected the waters of the lower pool.

Then you counted the houses of Jerusalem And tore down houses to fortify the wall.

And you made a reservoir ^(C1)between the two walls For the waters of the ^(C2)old pool. But you did not ^(F1)depend on Him who made it, Nor did you ^(F2)take into consideration Him who planned it long ago.

Therefore on that day the Lord ^(F1)GOD of armies called you to ^(C1)weeping, to wailing, To ^(C2)shaving the head, and to wearing sackcloth.

Instead, there is ^(C1)joy and jubilation, Killing of cattle and slaughtering of sheep, Eating of meat and drinking of wine: "^(C2)Let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we may die."

But the LORD of armies revealed Himself ^(F1)to me: "Certainly this ^(C1)wrongdoing ^(C2)will not be ^(F2)forgiven you ^(C3)Until you die," says the Lord ^(F3)GOD of armies.

This is what the Lord ^(F1)GOD of armies says: "Come, go to this steward, To ^(C1)Shebna who is in charge of the royal household,

'What right do you have here, And whom do you have here, That you have ^(C1)cut out a tomb for yourself here, You who cut out a tomb on the height, You who carve a resting place for ^(F1)yourself in the rock?

-'Behold, the LORD is about to hurl you violently, you strong man. And He is about to grasp you firmly

And wrap you up tightly like a ball, To be ^(C1)driven into a vast country; There you will die, And there your splendid chariots will be, You shame of your master's house!'

-"I will ^(C1)depose you from your office, And ^(F1)I will pull you down from your position.

-"Then it will come about on that day, That I will summon My servant ^(C1)Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,

And I will clothe him with your tunic And tie your sash securely around him. I will hand your ^(F1)authority over to him, And he will become a ^(C1)father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.

-"Then I will put ^(C1)the key of the ^(C2)house of David on his shoulder; When he opens, no one will shut, When he shuts, no one will ^(C3)open.

-"I will drive him like a ^(C1)peg in a firm place, And he will become a ^(C2)throne of glory to his father's house.