Study Desk

The Lord of hosts has sworn saying, "Surely, ^(af)just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I have planned so it will stand,

to ^(ag)break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains. Then his ^(ah)yoke will be removed from them and his burden removed from their shoulder.

This is the ^(ai)plan ^[m]devised against the whole earth; and this is the ^(aj)hand that is stretched out against all the nations.

For ^(ak)the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?"

In the ^(al)year that King Ahaz died this ^[n](am)oracle came:

"Do not rejoice, O ^(an)Philistia, all of you, Because the rod that ^(ao)struck you is broken; For from the serpent's root a ^(ap)viper will come out, And its fruit will be a ^(aq)flying serpent.

"^[o]Those who are most ^(ar)helpless will eat, And the needy will lie down in security; I will ^[p]destroy your root with ^(as)famine, And it will kill off your survivors.

"Wail, O ^(at)gate; cry, O city; ^[q]Melt away, O ^(au)Philistia, all of you; For smoke comes from the ^(av)north, And ^(aw)there is no straggler in his ranks.

"How then will one answer the ^(ax)messengers of the nation? That ^(ay)the Lord has founded Zion, And ^(az)the afflicted of His people will seek refuge in it."