Study Desk

Behold, the LORD ^(C1)lays the earth waste, devastates it, twists its surface, and scatters its inhabitants.

And the people will be like the priest, the servant like his master, the female servant like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the ^(C1)creditor like the debtor.

The earth will be completely laid waste and completely plundered, for the LORD has spoken this word.

The ^(C1)earth dries up and crumbles away, the mainland dries out and crumbles away, the ^(C2)exalted of the people of the earth dwindle.

The earth is also ^(C1)defiled ^(F1)by its inhabitants, for they violated laws, altered statutes, and ^(C2)broke the everlasting covenant.

Therefore, a ^(C1)curse devours the earth, and those who live on it suffer for their guilt. Therefore, the ^(C2)inhabitants of the earth decrease in number, and few people are left.

The ^(C1)new wine mourns, The vine decays, All the joyful-hearted sigh.

The ^(C1)joy of tambourines ceases, The noise of revelers stops, The joy of the harp ceases.

They do not drink wine with song; ^(C1)Intoxicating drink is ^(C2)bitter to those who drink it.

The ^(C1)city of chaos is broken down; ^(C2)Every house is shut up so that no one may enter.

There is an ^(C1)outcry in the streets concerning the wine; ^(C2)All joy ^(F1)turns to gloom. The joy of the earth is banished.

Desolation is left in the city And the ^(C1)gate is battered to ruins.

For ^(C1)so it will be in the midst of the earth among the peoples, As the ^(F1)shaking of an olive tree, As the gleanings when the grape harvest is over.

^(C1)They raise their voices, they shout for joy; They cry out from the ^(F1)west concerning the majesty of the LORD.

Therefore ^(C1)glorify the LORD in the ^(F1)east, The ^(C2)name of the LORD, the God of Israel, In the ^(F2)(C3)coastlands of the sea.

From the ^(C1)ends of the earth we hear songs: "^(C2)Glory to the Righteous One," But I say, "^(F1)I am finished! I am finished! Woe to me! The ^(C3)treacherous deal treacherously, And the treacherous deal very treacherously."

^(C1)Terror and pit and snare ^(F1)Confront you, you inhabitant of the earth.

Then it will be that the one who flees the sound of terror will fall into the pit, And the one who ^(F1)climbs out of the pit will be caught in the snare; For the ^(C1)windows ^(F2)above are opened, and the ^(C2)foundations of the earth shake.

^(C1)The earth is broken apart, The earth is ^(C2)split through, The earth is shaken violently.

The earth ^(C1)trembles like a heavy drinker And sways like a hut, For its ^(C2)wrongdoing is heavy upon it, And it will fall, ^(C3)never to rise again.

So it will happen on that day, That the LORD will ^(C1)punish the rebellious ^(F1)(C2)angels of ^(F2)heaven on high, And the ^(C3)kings of the earth on earth.

They will be gathered together Like ^(C1)prisoners in the ^(F1)dungeon, And will be confined in prison; And after many days they will ^(C2)be punished.

Then the ^(C1)moon will be ashamed and the sun be put to shame, For the ^(C2)LORD of armies will reign on ^(C3)Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And His glory will be before His elders.

LORD, You are ^(C1)my God; I will exalt You, I will give thanks to Your name; For You have ^(C2)worked wonders, ^(C3)Plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.

For You have turned a city into a ^(C1)heap, A ^(C2)fortified city into a ruin; A ^(C3)palace of strangers is no longer a city, It will never be rebuilt.

Therefore a strong people will ^(C1)glorify You; ^(C2)Cities of ruthless nations will revere You.

For You have been a ^(C1)stronghold for the helpless, A stronghold for the poor in his distress, A ^(C2)refuge from the storm, a shade from the heat; For the breath of the ^(C3)ruthless Is like a rain storm against a wall.

Like heat in a dry land, You subdue the ^(C1)uproar of foreigners; Like heat by the shadow of a cloud, the song of the ruthless is ^(F1)silenced.

^(C1)Now the LORD of armies will prepare a ^(F1)lavish banquet for ^(C2)all peoples on this mountain; A banquet of ^(F2)aged wine, ^(F3)choice pieces with marrow, And ^(F4)refined, aged wine.

And on this mountain He will destroy the ^(F1)(C1)covering which is over all peoples, The veil which is ^(F2)stretched over all nations.

He will ^(F1)(C1)swallow up death for all time, And the Lord ^(F2)GOD will ^(C2)wipe tears away from all faces, And He will remove the ^(C3)disgrace of His people from all the earth; For the LORD has spoken.

And it will be said on that day, "Behold, ^(C1)this is our God for whom we have ^(C2)waited ^(F1)that ^(C3)He might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; ^(C4)Let's rejoice and be glad in His salvation."

For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain, And ^(C1)Moab will be trampled down in his place As straw is trampled down in the water of a manure pile.

And he will ^(C1)spread out his hands in the middle of it As a swimmer spreads out his hands to swim, But the Lord will ^(C2)lay low his pride together with the trickery of his hands.

The ^(C1)unassailable fortifications of your walls He will bring down, Lay low, and throw to the ground, to the dust.

^(C1)On that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: "We have a ^(C2)strong city; He sets up walls and ramparts for ^(F1)(C3)security.

-"Open the ^(C1)gates, that the ^(C2)righteous nation may enter, The one that ^(F1)remains faithful.

-"The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect ^(C1)peace, Because he trusts in You.

-"^(C1)Trust in the LORD forever, For in ^(F1)GOD the LORD, we have an everlasting ^(C2)Rock.

-"For He has brought low those who dwell on high, the ^(C1)unassailable city; ^(C2)He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He casts it to the dust.

-"^(C1)The foot will trample it, The feet of the ^(C2)poor, the steps of the helpless."

The ^(C1)way of the righteous is smooth; O Upright One, ^(C2)make the path of the righteous level.

Indeed, while following the way of ^(C1)Your judgments, LORD, We have waited for You eagerly; ^(C2)Your name, and ^(C3)remembering You, is the desire of our souls.

^(C1)At night ^(F1)my soul longs for You, Indeed, ^(F2)my spirit within me ^(C2)seeks You diligently; For when the earth ^(F3)experiences Your judgments, The inhabitants of the world ^(C3)learn righteousness.

Though the wicked person is shown compassion, He does not ^(C1)learn righteousness; He ^(C2)deals unjustly in the land of uprightness, And does not perceive the majesty of the LORD.

LORD, Your hand is lifted up, yet they ^(C1)do not see it. ^(F1)They see ^(C2)Your zeal for the people and are put to shame; Indeed, ^(F2)(C3)fire will devour Your enemies.

LORD, You will establish ^(C1)peace for us, Since You have also performed for us all our works.

LORD, our God, ^(C1)other masters besides You have ruled us; But through You alone we ^(F1)(C2)confess Your name.

^(C1)The dead will not live, the ^(F1)departed spirits will not rise; Therefore You have ^(C2)punished and destroyed them, And You have eliminated all remembrance of them.

^(C1)You have increased the nation, LORD, You have increased the nation, You are glorified; You have ^(C2)extended all the borders of the land.

LORD, they sought You ^(C1)in distress; They ^(F1)could only whisper a prayer, Your discipline was upon them.

^(C1)As the pregnant woman approaches the time to give birth, She writhes and cries out in her labor pains; This is how we were before You, LORD.

We were pregnant, we writhed in labor, We ^(C1)gave birth, as it seems, only to wind. We could not accomplish deliverance for the earth, Nor were ^(C2)inhabitants of the world ^(F1)born.

Your ^(C1)dead will live; ^(F1)Their corpses will rise. You who lie in the dust, ^(C2)awake and shout for joy, For your dew is as the dew of the ^(F2)dawn, And the earth will ^(F3)give birth to the ^(F4)departed spirits.

Come, my people, ^(C1)enter your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little ^(F1)(C2)while Until ^(C3)indignation ^(F2)runs its course.

For behold, the LORD is about to ^(C1)come out from His place To ^(C2)punish the inhabitants of the earth for their wrongdoing; And the earth will ^(C3)reveal her bloodshed And will no longer cover her slain.

On that day ^(C1)the LORD will punish ^(F1)(C2)Leviathan the fleeing serpent, With His fierce and great and mighty sword, Even ^(F1)Leviathan the twisted serpent; And ^(C3)He will kill the dragon who lives in the sea.

On that day, "A ^(F1)(C1)vineyard of beauty, sing of it!

-"I, the LORD, am its keeper; ^(C1)I water it every moment. So that no one will ^(F1)damage it, I ^(C2)guard it night and day.

-"I have no wrath. Should ^(F1)someone give Me ^(C1)briars and thorns in battle, Then I would step on them, ^(C2)I would burn them ^(F2)completely.

-"Or let him ^(F1)(C1)rely on My protection, Let him make peace with Me, Let him ^(C2)make peace with Me."

^(F1)In the days to come Jacob ^(C1)will take root, Israel will ^(C2)blossom and sprout, And they will fill the ^(F2)whole world with ^(C3)fruit.

Like the striking of Him who has struck them, has ^(C1)He struck them? Or like the slaughter of His slain, ^(F1)have they been slain?

You contended with them ^(F1)by banishing them, by ^(C1)driving them away. With His fierce wind He has expelled them on the day of the ^(C2)east wind.

Therefore through this Jacob's wrongdoing will be ^(C1)forgiven; And this will be ^(F1)the full price of the ^(F2)(C2)pardoning of his sin: When he makes all the ^(C3)altar stones like pulverized chalk stones; When ^(F3)Asherim and incense altars will not stand.

For the fortified city is ^(C1)isolated, A ^(F1)homestead deserted and abandoned like the desert; ^(C2)There the calf will graze, And there it will lie down and ^(F2)feed on its branches.

When its ^(C1)limbs are dry, they are broken off; Women come and make a fire with them, For they are not a people of ^(C2)discernment, Therefore ^(C3)their Maker ^(C4)will not have compassion on them. And their Creator will not be gracious to them.

On that day the LORD ^(C1)will thresh from the flowing stream of the ^(C2)Euphrates River to the brook of Egypt, and you will be ^(C3)gathered up one by one, you sons of Israel.

It will come about also on that day that a great ^(C1)trumpet will be blown, and those who were perishing in the land of ^(C2)Assyria and who were scattered in the land of Egypt will come and ^(C3)worship the LORD on the holy mountain in Jerusalem.

Woe to the proud crown of the ^(C1)habitually drunk of ^(C2)Ephraim, And to the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the ^(F1)fertile valley Of those who are ^(F2)overcome with wine!

Behold, the Lord has a strong and ^(C1)mighty agent; As a storm of ^(C2)hail, a tempest of destruction, Like a storm of ^(C3)mighty overflowing waters, He has thrown it down to the earth with His hand.

The splendid crown of the habitually drunk of Ephraim is ^(C1)trampled underfoot.

And the fading flower of its glorious beauty, Which is at the head of the ^(F1)fertile valley, Will be like the ^(C1)first-ripe fig prior to the summer, Which ^(F2)one sees, And ^(F3)as soon as it is in his ^(F4)hand, He swallows it.

On that day the ^(C1)LORD of armies will become a beautiful ^(C2)crown And a glorious wreath to the remnant of His people;

A ^(C1)spirit of justice for him who sits in judgment, A ^(C2)strength to those who repel the ^(F1)onslaught at the gate.

And these also ^(C1)reel with wine and stagger from intoxicating drink: ^(C2)The priest and ^(C3)the prophet reel with intoxicating drink, They are confused by wine, they stagger from ^(C4)intoxicating drink; They reel while ^(F1)having ^(C5)visions, They stagger when rendering a verdict.

For all the tables are full of filthy ^(C1)vomit, without a single clean place.

"To ^(C1)whom would He teach knowledge, And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just ^(C2)weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?

-"For He says, '^(F1)(C1)Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there.'"

Indeed, He will speak to this people Through ^(C1)stammering lips and a foreign tongue,

He who said to them, "This is the ^(C1)place of quiet, give rest to the weary," And, "This is the resting place," but they would not listen.

So the word of the LORD to them will be, "^(F1)Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there," That they may go and ^(C1)stumble backward, be broken, snared, and taken captive.

Therefore, ^(C1)hear the word of the LORD, you ^(C2)scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,

Because you have said, "We have made a ^(C1)covenant with death, And with ^(F1)Sheol we have made a ^(F2)pact. ^(C2)The ^(F3)gushing flood will not reach us when it passes by, Because we have made ^(C3)falsehood our refuge and we have ^(C4)concealed ourselves with deception."

Therefore this is what the Lord ^(F1)GOD says: "^(C1)Behold, I am laying a stone in Zion, a tested ^(C2)stone, A precious cornerstone for the foundation, ^(F2)firmly placed. The one who believes in it will not be ^(F3)disturbed.

-"I will make ^(C1)justice the measuring line And righteousness the level; Then ^(C2)hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, And the waters will overflow the secret place.

-"Your ^(C1)covenant with death will be ^(F1)(C2)canceled, And your pact with Sheol will not stand; When the ^(F2)(C1)gushing flood passes through, Then you will become its ^(C3)trampling ground.

-"As ^(C1)often as it passes through, it will ^(F1)seize you; For ^(C2)morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, And it will be ^(F2)sheer ^(C3)terror to understand ^(F3)what it means."

The bed is too short on which to stretch out, And the ^(C1)blanket is too ^(F1)small to wrap oneself in.

For the LORD will rise up as at Mount ^(C1)Perazim, He will be stirred up as in the Valley of ^(C2)Gibeon, To do His ^(C3)task, His ^(F1)(C4)unusual task, And to work His work, His ^(F2)extraordinary work.

And now do not carry on as ^(C1)scoffers, Or your shackles will be made stronger; For I have heard from the Lord ^(F1)GOD of armies Of decisive ^(C2)destruction on all the earth.

Listen and hear my voice, Pay attention and hear my words.

Does the ^(F1)farmer plow ^(F2)continually to plant seed? Does he continually ^(F3)turn and break up his ground?

Does he not level its surface And sow dill and scatter ^(C1)cumin And ^(F1)plant ^(C2)wheat in rows, Barley in its place and rye within its ^(F2)area?

For his God instructs and teaches him properly.

For dill is not threshed with a ^(C1)threshing sledge, Nor is the cartwheel ^(F1)driven over cumin; But dill is beaten out with a rod, and cumin with a club.

Grain for bread is crushed, Indeed, he does not continue to thresh it forever. Because the wheel of his cart and his horses eventually ^(F1)damage it, He does not thresh it longer.

This also comes from the LORD of armies, Who has made His counsel ^(C1)wonderful and His wisdom ^(C2)great.

Woe, ^(F1)Ariel, ^(F1)Ariel the city where David once ^(C1)camped! Add year to year, ^(F2)(C2)keep your feasts on schedule.

I will bring distress to Ariel, And she will be a city of grieving and ^(C1)mourning; And she will be like an ^(F1)Ariel to me.

I will ^(C1)camp against you ^(F1)encircling you, And I will set up siegeworks against you, And I will raise up battle towers against you.

Then you will ^(C1)be brought low; From the earth you will speak, And from the dust where you are prostrate Your words will come. Your voice will also be like that of a ^(F1)spirit from the ground, And your speech will whisper from the dust.

But the multitude of your ^(F1)enemies will become like fine ^(C1)dust, And the multitude of the ^(C2)ruthless ones like the chaff which ^(F2)blows away; And it will happen ^(C3)instantly, suddenly.

From the LORD of armies you will be ^(C1)punished with ^(C2)thunder and earthquake and loud noise, With whirlwind and tempest and the flame of a consuming fire.

And the ^(C1)multitude of all the nations who wage war against ^(F1)Ariel, Even all who wage war against her and her stronghold, and who distress her, Will be like a dream, a ^(C2)vision of the night.

It will be as when a hungry person dreams— And behold, he is eating; But when he awakens, his ^(F1)hunger is not satisfied, Or as when a thirsty person dreams— And behold, he is drinking, But when he awakens, behold, he is faint And his ^(F1)thirst is not quenched. ^(C1)So will the multitude of all the nations be Who wage war against Mount Zion.

^(C1)Be delayed and horrified, Blind yourselves and be blind; They ^(C2)become drunk, but not with wine, They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.

For the LORD has poured over you a spirit of deep ^(C1)sleep, He has ^(C2)shut your eyes—the prophets; And He has covered your heads—the seers.

The entire vision will be to you like the words of a sealed ^(F1)(C1)book, which, when they give it to the one who ^(F2)is literate, saying, "Please read this," he will say, "I cannot, because it is sealed."

Then the ^(F1)book will be given to the one who ^(F2)is illiterate, saying, "Please read this." And he will say, "I ^(F3)cannot read."

Then the Lord said, "Because ^(C1)this people approaches Me with their ^(F1)words And honors Me with their lips, But their heart is far away from Me, And their ^(F2)reverence for Me ^(F3)consists of the commandment of men that is taught;

Therefore behold, I will once again deal ^(C1)marvelously with this people, wondrously marvelous; And ^(C2)the wisdom of their wise men will perish, And the understanding of their men who have understanding will be concealed."

Woe to those who deeply ^(C1)hide their ^(F1)plans from the LORD, And whose ^(C2)deeds are done in a dark place, And they say, "^(C3)Who sees us?" or "Who knows us?"

You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered ^(F1)as equal with the clay, That ^(C1)what is made would say to its maker, "He did not make me"; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?

Is it not yet just a little while ^(F1)Before Lebanon will be turned into a ^(C1)fertile field, And the fertile field will be considered as a forest?

On that day those who are ^(C1)deaf will hear ^(C2)words of a book, And out of their gloom and darkness the ^(C3)eyes of those who are blind will see.

The ^(C1)afflicted also will increase their joy in the LORD, And the ^(C2)needy of mankind will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

For the ^(C1)ruthless will come to an end and the ^(C2)scorner will be finished, Indeed ^(C3)all who ^(F1)are intent on doing evil will be eliminated,

Who ^(F1)cause a person to be indicted by a word, And ^(C1)set a trap for the arbitrator at the gate, And ^(F2)(C2)defraud the one in the right with ^(F3)meaningless arguments.

Therefore this is what the LORD, who redeemed ^(C1)Abraham, says concerning the house of Jacob: "Jacob ^(C2)will not be ashamed now, nor will his face turn pale now;

But when ^(F1)he sees his ^(C1)children, the ^(C2)work of My hands, in his midst, They will sanctify My name; Indeed, they will ^(C3)sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, And will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

-"Those who ^(C1)err in ^(F1)mind will ^(C2)know ^(F2)the truth, And those who ^(F3)criticize will ^(F4)(C3)accept instruction.

"Woe to the ^(C1)rebellious children," declares the LORD, "Who ^(C2)execute a plan, but not Mine, And ^(F1)(C3)make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin;

Who ^(C1)proceed down to Egypt Without ^(C2)consulting ^(F1)Me, ^(C3)To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh, And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!

-"Therefore the safety of Pharaoh will be ^(C1)your shame, And the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, your humiliation.

-"For ^(C1)their officials are at Zoan And their ambassadors arrive at Hanes.

-"Everyone will be ^(C1)ashamed because of a people who do not benefit them, Who are ^(C2)not a help or benefit, but a source of shame and also disgrace."

The pronouncement concerning the ^(C1)animals of the ^(C2)Negev: Through a land of ^(C3)distress and anguish, From ^(F1)where come lioness and lion, viper and ^(C4)flying serpent, They ^(C5)carry their riches on the ^(F2)backs of young donkeys, And their treasures on ^(C6)camels' humps, To a people who will not benefit them;

Even Egypt, whose ^(C1)help is vain and empty. Therefore, I have called ^(F1)her "^(F2)(C2)Rahab who has been exterminated."

Now go, ^(C1)write it on a tablet in their presence And inscribe it on a scroll, That it may ^(F1)serve in the time to come ^(F2)As a witness forever.

For this is a ^(C1)rebellious people, ^(C2)false sons, Sons who ^(F1)refuse to ^(C3)listen To the ^(F2)instruction of the LORD;

Who say to the ^(C1)seers, "You must not see visions"; And to the prophets, "You must not ^(C2)prophesy the truth to us. ^(C3)Speak to us ^(F1)pleasant words, Prophesy illusions.

-"Get out of the way, ^(C1)turn aside from the path, ^(C2)Stop speaking before us about the Holy One of Israel!"

Therefore this is what the Holy One of Israel says: "^(C1)Since you have rejected this word And have put your trust in ^(C2)oppression and crookedness, and have relied on them,

Therefore this ^(C1)wrongdoing will be to you Like a ^(C2)breach about to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose collapse comes ^(C3)suddenly in an instant,

Whose collapse is like the smashing of a ^(C1)potter's jar, ^(F1)So ruthlessly shattered That a shard will not be found among its pieces To ^(F2)take fire from a hearth Or to scoop water from a cistern."

For this is what the Lord ^(F1)GOD, the Holy One of Israel, has said: "In ^(F2)repentance and ^(C1)rest you will be saved, In ^(C2)quietness and trust is your strength." But you were not willing,

And you said, "No, for we will flee on ^(C1)horses!" Therefore you shall flee! "And we will ride on swift horses!" Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.

^(C1)One thousand will flee at the threat of one man; You will flee at the threat of five, Until you are left like a signal post on a mountain top, And like a flag on a hill.

Therefore the LORD ^(F1)(C1)longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He ^(F2)waits on ^(C2)high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a ^(C3)God of justice; How blessed are all those who ^(F3)(C4)long for Him.

^(F1)For, you people in Zion, ^(C1)inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will ^(C2)weep no longer. He will certainly be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will ^(C3)answer you.

Although the Lord has given you ^(C1)bread of deprivation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher, will no longer ^(C2)hide Himself, but your eyes will see your Teacher.

Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, "This is the ^(C1)way, walk in it," whenever you ^(C2)turn to the right or to the left.

And you will desecrate your carved ^(C1)images plated with silver, and your cast metal ^(C1)images plated with gold. You will scatter them as a filthy thing, and say to ^(F1)them, "^(C2)Be gone!"

Then He will ^(C1)give you rain for your seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread from the yield of the ground, and it will be ^(F1)rich and ^(F2)plentiful; on that day ^(C2)your livestock will graze in a wide pasture.

Also the oxen and the donkeys that work the ground will eat ^(F1)seasoned feed, which ^(F2)has been ^(C1)winnowed with shovel and pitchfork.

And on every lofty mountain and ^(C1)every high hill there will be ^(F1)streams running with water on the day of the great ^(C2)slaughter, when the towers fall.

^(C1)And the light of the full moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day ^(C2)the LORD binds up the ^(C3)fracture of His people and ^(C4)heals the wound ^(F1)He has inflicted.

Behold, ^(C1)the name of the LORD comes from a ^(F1)remote place; ^(C2)His anger is burning and ^(F2)dense with ^(F3)smoke; His lips are filled with ^(C3)indignation, And His tongue is like a ^(C4)consuming fire;

His ^(C1)breath is like an overflowing river, Which ^(C2)reaches to the neck, To ^(C3)shake the nations back and forth in a ^(F1)sieve, And to put in the jaws of the peoples ^(C4)the bridle which leads astray.

You will have ^(F1)songs as in the night when you keep the festival, And gladness of heart as when one marches to the sound of the flute, To go to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel.

And the LORD will cause ^(F1)His voice of authority to be heard, And the ^(F2)descending of His arm to be seen in fierce anger, And in the flame of a consuming fire In cloudburst, downpour, and hailstones.

For ^(C1)at the voice of the LORD ^(C2)Assyria will be terrified, When He strikes with the ^(C3)rod.

And every ^(F1)blow of the ^(F2)(C1)rod of punishment, Which the LORD will lay on him, Will be with the music of ^(C2)tambourines and lyres; And in battles, ^(C3)brandishing weapons, He will fight them.

For ^(F1)(C1)Topheth has long been ready, Indeed, it has been prepared for the king. He has made it deep and large, ^(F2)A pyre of fire with plenty of wood; The ^(C2)breath of the LORD, like a torrent of ^(C3)brimstone, sets it afire.

Woe to those who go down to ^(C1)Egypt for help And ^(C2)rely on horses, And trust in chariots because they are many And in horsemen because they are very strong, But they do not ^(C3)look to the ^(C4)Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

Yet He also is ^(C1)wise and will ^(C2)bring disaster, And does ^(C3)not retract His words, But will arise against the house of ^(C4)evildoers, And against the help of the ^(C5)workers of injustice.

Now the Egyptians are ^(C1)human and not God, And their ^(C2)horses are flesh and not spirit; So the LORD will ^(C3)stretch out His hand, And any ^(C4)helper will stumble, And one who is helped will fall. And all of them will come to an end together.

For this is what the LORD says to me: "As the ^(C1)lion or the young lion growls over his prey, Against which a band of shepherds is called out, And he will not be terrified at their voice nor disturbed at their noise, So will the LORD of armies come down to wage ^(C2)war on Mount Zion and on its hill."

Like ^(F1)flying ^(C1)birds so the LORD of armies will protect Jerusalem. He will ^(C2)protect and save it; He will pass over and rescue it.

^(C1)Return to Him against whom ^(F1)you have been ^(C2)profoundly obstinate, you sons of Israel.

For on that day every person will ^(C1)reject his silver idols and his gold idols, which your hands have made for you as ^(C2)a sin.

And the ^(C1)Assyrian will fall by a sword not wielded by a man, And a ^(C2)sword not of man will devour him. So he will ^(F1)(C3)not escape the sword, And his young men will become ^(C4)forced laborers.

"His ^(C1)rock will pass away because of panic, And his officers will be terrified by the ^(C2)flag," Declares the LORD, whose ^(C3)fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Behold, a ^(C1)king will reign righteously, And officials will rule justly.

Each will be like a ^(C1)refuge from the wind And a shelter from the storm, Like ^(F1)(C2)streams of water in a dry country, Like the ^(C1)shade of a ^(F2)huge rock in an exhausted land.

Then ^(C1)the eyes of those who see will not be ^(F1)blinded, And the ears of those who hear will listen.

The ^(F1)mind of the ^(C1)rash will discern the ^(F2)truth, And the tongue of the stammerers will hurry to speak clearly.

No longer will the ^(C1)fool be called noble, Or the rogue be spoken of as generous.

For a fool speaks nonsense, And his heart ^(F1)(C1)inclines toward wickedness: To practice ^(C2)ungodliness and to speak error against the LORD, To ^(F2)(C3)keep the hungry person unsatisfied And ^(F3)to withhold drink from the thirsty.

As for a rogue, his weapons are evil; He ^(C1)devises wicked schemes To ^(C2)destroy the poor with ^(F1)slander, ^(C3)Even though the needy one speaks ^(F2)what is right.

But ^(C1)the noble person devises noble plans; And by noble plans he stands.

Rise up, you ^(C1)women who are at ease, And hear my voice; ^(C2)Listen to my word, You complacent daughters.

Within a year and a few days You will be troubled, you complacent daughters; ^(C1)For the vintage is ended, And the fruit gathering will not come.

Tremble, you women who are at ease; ^(C1)Be troubled, you complacent daughters; ^(C2)Strip, undress, and put sackcloth on your waist,

^(C1)Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields, for the fruitful vine,

^(C1)For the land of my people in which thorns and briars will come up; Indeed, for all the joyful houses and for the ^(C2)jubilant city.

For ^(C1)the palace has been neglected, the ^(F1)populated ^(C2)city abandoned. ^(F2)Hill and watch-tower have become ^(C3)caves forever, A delight for ^(C4)wild donkeys, a pasture for flocks,

Until the ^(C1)Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a ^(C2)fertile field, And the fertile field is considered as a forest.

Then ^(C1)justice will dwell in the wilderness, And righteousness will remain in the fertile field.

And the ^(C1)work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, ^(C2)quietness and ^(F1)confidence forever.

Then my people will live in a ^(C1)peaceful settlement, In secure dwellings, and in undisturbed ^(C2)resting places;

And it will ^(C1)hail when the ^(C2)forest comes down, And ^(C3)the city will be utterly laid low.

How ^(C1)blessed will you be, you who sow beside all waters, Who ^(F1)let the ox and the donkey out freely.

Woe ^(C1)to you, destroyer, While you were not destroyed; And he ^(C2)who is treacherous, while others did not deal treacherously with him. As soon as you finish destroying, ^(C3)you will be destroyed; As soon as you cease to deal treacherously, others will ^(C4)deal treacherously with you.

LORD, ^(C1)be gracious to us; we have ^(C2)waited for You. Be ^(F1)their ^(F2)(C3)strength every morning, Our salvation also in the ^(C4)time of distress.

At the sound of a roar, ^(C1)peoples flee; At the ^(C2)lifting up of Yourself, nations disperse.

Your plunder is gathered as the caterpillar gathers; Like an infestation of locusts, people storm it.

The LORD is ^(C1)exalted, for He dwells on high; He has ^(C2)filled Zion with justice and righteousness.

And He will be the ^(F1)(C1)stability of your times, A ^(C2)wealth of salvation, wisdom, and ^(C3)knowledge; The ^(C4)fear of the LORD is his treasure.

Behold, their brave men cry out ^(F1)in the streets, The ^(F2)(C1)ambassadors of peace weep bitterly.

The highways are desolate, ^(F1)the ^(C1)traveler has ceased, He has ^(C2)broken the covenant, he has despised the cities, He has no regard for mankind.

^(C1)The land mourns and wastes away, ^(C2)Lebanon is shamed and withers; ^(C3)Sharon is like a desert plain, And Bashan and Carmel ^(F1)lose their foliage.

"Now ^(C1)I will arise," says the LORD, "Now I will be exalted, now I will be lifted up.

-"You have ^(C1)conceived ^(F1)chaff, you will give birth to stubble; ^(F2)My ^(C2)breath will consume you like a fire.

-"The peoples will be burned to lime, ^(C1)Like cut thorns which are burned in the fire.

"You who are far away, ^(C1)hear what I have done; And you who are near, ^(F1)acknowledge My might."

^(C1)Sinners in Zion are terrified; ^(C2)Trembling has seized the godless. "Who among us can live with ^(C3)the consuming fire? Who among us can live with everlasting ^(C4)burning?"

One who ^(C1)walks righteously and speaks with integrity, One who rejects ^(F1)unjust gain And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe; One who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed And ^(C2)shuts his eyes from looking at evil;

He will dwell on the heights, ^(C1)His refuge will be the ^(F1)impregnable rock; ^(C2)His bread will be given him, His water will be sure.

Your eyes will see ^(C1)the King in His beauty; They will see ^(C2)a distant land.

Your heart will meditate on ^(C1)terror: "Where is ^(C2)one who counts? Where is one who weighs? Where is one who counts the towers?"

You will no longer see a fierce people, A people of ^(F1)(C1)unintelligible speech ^(F2)which no one comprehends, Of a stammering tongue ^(F3)which no one understands.

^(C1)Look at Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an ^(C2)undisturbed settlement, ^(C3)A tent which will not be folded; Its stakes will never be pulled up, Nor any of its ropes be torn apart.

But there the majestic One, the LORD, will be for us A place of ^(C1)rivers and wide canals On which no boat with oars will go, And on which no mighty ship will pass—

For the LORD is our ^(C1)judge, The LORD is ^(C2)our lawgiver, The LORD is ^(C3)our king; ^(C4)He will save us—

Your ship's tackle hangs slack; It cannot hold the base of its mast firmly, Nor spread out the sail. Then the ^(C1)prey of an abundant spoil will be divided; ^(C2)Those who limp will take the plunder.

And no resident will say, "I am ^(C1)sick"; The people who live ^(F1)there will be ^(C2)forgiven their wrongdoing.

Come near, ^(C1)you nations, to hear; and listen, you peoples! ^(C2)Let the earth and ^(F1)all it contains hear, and the world and all that springs from it.

For the LORD'S ^(C1)anger is against all the nations, And His wrath against all their armies. He has ^(F1)(C2)utterly destroyed them, He has turned them over to ^(C3)slaughter.

So their slain will be ^(C1)thrown out, And their corpses ^(F1)will give off their ^(C2)stench, And the mountains will ^(F2)be drenched with their ^(C3)blood.

And ^(C1)all the heavenly ^(F1)lights will ^(F2)wear away, And the ^(C2)sky will be rolled up like a scroll; All its ^(F1)lights will also wither away As a leaf withers from the vine, Or as one withers from the fig tree.

For ^(C1)My sword has drunk its fill in heaven; Behold it shall descend for judgment upon ^(C2)Edom, And upon the people whom I have ^(C3)designated for destruction.

The sword of the LORD is filled with blood, It drips with fat, with the blood of lambs and goats, With the fat of the kidneys of rams. For the LORD has a sacrifice in ^(C1)Bozrah, And a great slaughter in the land of ^(C2)Edom.

^(C1)Wild oxen will also ^(F1)fall with them And ^(C2)young bulls with strong ones; So their land will be ^(C3)soaked with blood, And their dust ^(F2)become greasy with fat.

For the LORD has a day of ^(C1)vengeance, A year of retribution for the ^(F1)cause of Zion.

^(F1)Its streams will be turned into pitch, And its loose earth into ^(C1)brimstone, And its land will become burning pitch.

It will ^(C1)not be extinguished night or day; Its ^(C2)smoke will go up forever. From ^(C3)generation to generation it will be desolate; ^(C4)None will pass through it forever and ever.

But ^(F1)(C1)pelican and hedgehog will possess it, And ^(F2)owl and raven will dwell in it; And He will stretch over it the ^(C2)line of ^(F3)desolation And the ^(F4)plumb line of emptiness.

Its nobles—there is ^(C1)no one there Whom they may proclaim king— And all its officials will be ^(C2)nothing.

Thorns will come up in its ^(C1)fortified towers, Weeds and thistles in its fortified cities; It will also be a haunt of ^(C2)jackals And a habitat of ostriches.

The desert ^(C1)creatures will meet with the ^(F1)wolves, The ^(F2)(C1)goat also will cry to its kind. Yes, the ^(F3)night-bird will settle there And will find herself a resting place.

The tree snake will make its nest and lay eggs there, And it will hatch and gather them under its ^(F1)protection. Yes, ^(C1)the ^(F2)hawks will be gathered there, Every one with its kind.

Seek from the ^(C1)book of the LORD, and read: Not one of these will be missing; None will lack its mate. For ^(F1)(C2)His mouth has commanded, And His Spirit has gathered them.

He has cast the ^(C1)lot for them, And His hand has divided it to them by the ^(C2)measuring line. They shall possess it forever; From ^(C3)generation to generation they will dwell in it.

The ^(C1)wilderness and the desert will rejoice, And the ^(F1)(C2)desert will shout for joy and blossom; Like the crocus

It will ^(C1)blossom profusely And ^(C2)rejoice with joy and jubilation. The ^(C3)glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of ^(C4)Carmel and Sharon. They will see the ^(C5)glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God.

^(C1)Strengthen the ^(F1)exhausted, and make the ^(F2)feeble strong.

Say to those with ^(C1)anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with ^(C2)vengeance; The ^(C3)retribution of God will come, But He will ^(C4)save you."

Then the ^(C1)eyes of those who are blind will be opened, And the ears of those who are deaf will be unstopped.

Then those who ^(C1)limp will leap like a deer, And the ^(C2)tongue of those who cannot speak will shout for joy. For waters will burst forth in the ^(C3)wilderness, And streams in the ^(F1)desert.

The ^(F1)scorched land will become a pool And the thirsty ground ^(C1)springs of water; In the ^(C2)haunt of jackals, its resting place, Grass becomes reeds and rushes.

^(C1)A highway will be there, ^(C2)a roadway, And it will be called the Highway of ^(C3)Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, But it will be for the one who walks that way, And ^(C4)fools will not wander on it.

No ^(C1)lion will be there, Nor will any vicious animal go up on it; ^(F1)They will not be found there. But ^(C2)the redeemed will walk there,

And ^(C1)the redeemed of the LORD will return And come to Zion with joyful shouting, And everlasting joy will be on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, And ^(C2)sorrow and sighing will flee away.