Study Desk

For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to me: "Take this cup of the wine of wrath from My hand and give it to all the nations to whom I send you, to drink from it.

"For behold, I am beginning to inflict disaster on this city which is called by My name, so should you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth," declares the LORD of armies.'

'A clamor has come to the end of the earth, Because the LORD has a controversy with the nations. He is entering into judgment with humanity; As for the wicked, He has turned them over to the sword,' declares the LORD."

"Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; Wallow in the dust, you masters of the flock; For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions have come, And you will fall like a precious vessel.

"There will be no sanctuary for the shepherds, Nor escape for the masters of the flock.

"Hear the sound of the cry of the shepherds, And the wailing of the masters of the flock! For the LORD is destroying their pasture,

"He has left His hiding place like the lion; For their land has become a horror Because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword And because of His fierce anger."

Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the officials and to all the people, saying, "A death sentence for this man! For he has prophesied against this city, just as you have heard with your own ears!"

"But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight.

"Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, and on this city and its inhabitants; for truly the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words so that you hear them."

Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "No death sentence for this man! For he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."

"Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah actually put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and plead for the favor of the LORD, and the LORD relented of the disaster which He had pronounced against them? But we are committing a great evil against our own lives!"

this is what the LORD has said to me: "Make for yourself restraints and yokes and put them on your neck,

'And as for you, do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers who talk to you, saying, "You will not serve the king of Babylon."

'For they are prophesying a lie to you in order to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you away and you will perish.

"So do not listen to the words of the prophets who talk to you, saying, 'You will not serve the king of Babylon,' for they are prophesying a lie to you;

for I have not sent them," declares the LORD, "but they are prophesying falsely in My name, so that I will drive you away and that you will perish, you and the prophets who prophesy to you."

Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying: "This is what the LORD says: 'Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, "Behold, the vessels of the LORD'S house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon"; for they are prophesying a lie to you.

'For this is what the LORD of armies says concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the kettle stands, and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city,

'I am also going to bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,' declares the LORD, 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'"