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.