Study Desk

"Yet the Israelites will be like the sand on the seashore, which cannot be measured or counted. In the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,' they will be called ‘children of the living God.'

The prophet, along with my God, is the watchman over Ephraim, yet snares await him on all his paths, and hostility in the house of his God.

"Yet I destroyed the Amorites before them, though they were tall as the cedars and strong as the oaks. I destroyed their fruit above and their roots below.

"Go to Bethel and sin; go to Gilgal and sin yet more. Bring your sacrifices every morning, your tithes every three years.

"I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me," declares the Lord .

People staggered from town to town for water but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me," declares the Lord .

"Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards, destroying them with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me," declares the Lord .

"I sent plagues among you as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps, yet you have not returned to me," declares the Lord .

"I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me," declares the Lord .

"Surely the eyes of the Sovereign Lord are on the sinful kingdom. I will destroy it from the face of the earth. Yet I will not totally destroy the descendants of Jacob," declares the Lord .

I said, ‘I have been banished from your sight; yet I will look again toward your holy temple.'

Who knows? God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish."

Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they look for the Lord 's support and say, "Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us."

Nineveh summons her picked troops, yet they stumble on their way. They dash to the city wall; the protective shield is put in place.

Yet she was taken captive and went into exile. Her infants were dashed to pieces at every street corner. Lots were cast for her nobles, and all her great men were put in chains.

I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.

yet I will rejoice in the Lord , I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Lord within her is righteous; he does no wrong. Morning by morning he dispenses his justice, and every new day he does not fail, yet the unrighteous know no shame.

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord 's house.'"

I struck all the work of your hands with blight, mildew and hail, yet you did not return to me,' declares the Lord .