Study Desk

Trickle, O heavens, from above, and let clouds trickle with righteousness; let the earth open so that salvation may be fruitful, and let it cause righteousness to sprout along with it. I myself, Yahweh, have created it.

And I declared them to you from of old; I announced them to you before they came to pass so that you would not say, ‘My idol did them, and my image and my cast image commanded them.'

Now they are created, and not from of old, and before today, and you have not heard them so that you could not say, "Look! I knew them."

Yet the children born when you were bereaved will say in your hearing, "The place is too cramped for me; make room for me so that I can dwell."

For I am Yahweh, your God, who stirs up the sea, so that its waves roar; Yahweh of hosts is his name.

Extend your ear, and come to me! Listen so that your soul may live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, the enduring proofs of the mercies shown to David.

Why do you make us wander, Yahweh? You harden our heart from your ways so that we do not fear you. Turn back for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your inheritance.

Hear the word of Yahweh, you who are frightened at his word: Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for my name's sake have said, "Let Yahweh be honored so that we may see your joy!" But they themselves shall be ashamed.

so that you may suck and be satisfied from her consoling breast, so that you may drink deeply and refresh yourselves from her heavy breast."

Cleanse your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will your thoughts of mischief dwell in your inner part?

"Roam about through the streets of Jerusalem, and look please, and take note, and search at its public squares, if you can find a person who does justice, who seeks honesty, so that I may forgive it.

"I have made you an assayer among my people, a fortification, so that you may know and put to the test their ways.

But I only commanded them this word, saying, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be to you God, and you will be to me people, and you must walk in all of the way that I command you, so that it goes well with you.'

Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, so that I might weep day and night, for the slain of the daughter of my people.

For the mountains I lift up weeping and wailing, and for the pastures of the desert a lament, because they are laid waste so that no man passes through. And the sounds of cattle are not heard, from the birds of heaven to the animals they have fled, they are gone.

Who is the wise man that can understand this? And to whom has the mouth of Yahweh spoken, so that he may declare it? Why is the land destroyed? It is laid waste like the desert so that no one passes through."

Thus says Yahweh of hosts: "Consider closely, and call for the wailing women, so that they come, and for the skillful women, so that they come.

And let them hasten, and let them lift up wailing over us, so that our eyes may melt with tears, and our eyelids may flow with water.

He decorates it with silver and gold, they strengthen it with nails and hammers, so that it does not stagger.

For thus says Yahweh, "Look, I am about to sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and I will bring distress to them, so that they may feel it."