Study Desk

Thus saith the LORD of hosts: There shall yet old men and old women sit in the broad places of Jerusalem, every man with his staff in his hand for very age.

For before those days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the adversary; for I set all men every one against his neighbour.

For as the seed of peace, the vine shall give her fruit, and the ground shall give her increase, and the heavens shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to inherit all these things.

For thus saith the LORD of host: As I purposed to do evil unto you, when your fathers provoked Me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I repented not;

and let none of you devise evil in your hearts against his neighbour; and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, saith the LORD.'

Thus saith the LORD of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, shall even take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying: We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'

The burden of the word of the LORD. In the land of Hadrach, and in Damascus shall be His resting-place; for the LORD'S is the eye of man and all the tribes of Israel.

And Hamath also shall border thereon; Tyre and Zidon, for she is very wise.

Ashkelon shall see it, and fear, Gaza also, and shall be sore pained, and Ekron, for her expectation shall be ashamed; and the king shall perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon shall not be inhabited.

And I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his detestable things from between his teeth, and he also shall be a remnant for our God; and he shall be as a chief in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.

And I will encamp about My house against the army, that none pass through or return; and no oppressor shall pass through them any more; for now have I seen with Mine eyes.

As for thee also, because of the blood of thy covenant I send forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water.

For I bend Judah for Me, I fill the bow with Ephraim; and I will stir up thy sons, O Zion, against thy sons, O Javan, and will make thee as the sword of a mighty man.

And the LORD their God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people; for they shall be as the stones of a crown, glittering over His land.

For how great is their goodness, and how great is their beauty! Corn shall make the young men flourish, and new wine the maids.

For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and the dreams speak falsely, they comfort in vain; therefore they go their way like sheep, they are afflicted, because there is no shepherd.

Mine anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the he-goats; for the LORD of hosts hath remembered His flock the house of Judah, and maketh them as His majestic horse in the battle.

And I will strengthen the house of Judah, and I will save the house of Joseph, and I will bring them back, for I have compassion upon them, and they shall be as though I had not cast them off; for I am the LORD their God, and I will hear them.

I will hiss for them, and gather them, for I have redeemed them; and they shall increase as they have increased.

Wail, O cypress-tree, for the cedar is fallen; because the glorious ones are spoiled; wail, O ye oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest is come down.