Study Desk

They will not labor without successor bear children destined for disaster,for they will be a people blessed by the Lordalong with their descendants.

I have struck down your children in vain;they would not accept discipline.Your own sword has devoured your prophetslike a ravaging lion.

“‘Return, you faithless children—this is the Lord’s declaration—for I am your master, and I will take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

A sound is heard on the barren heights:the children of Israel weeping and begging for mercy,for they have perverted their way;they have forgotten the Lord their God.

“For my people are fools;they do not know me.They are foolish children,without understanding.They are skilled in doing what is evil,but they do not know how to do what is good.”

Why should I forgive you?Your children have abandoned meand sworn by those who are not gods.I satisfied their needs, yet they committed adultery;they gashed themselves at the prostitute’s house.

But I am full of the Lord’s wrath;I am tired of holding it back.Pour it out on the children in the street,on the gathering of young men as well.For both husband and wife will be captured,the old with the very old.

for Death has climbed through our windows;it has entered our fortresses,cutting off children from the streets,young men from the squares.

while their children remember their altarsand their Asherah poles, by the green treeson the high hills—

Therefore, hand their children over to famine,and give them over to the power of the sword.Let their wives become childless and widowed,their husbands slain by deadly disease,their young men struck down by the sword in battle.

They have built high places to Baal on which to burn their children in the fire as burnt offerings to Baal, something I have never commanded or mentioned; I never entertained the thought.

His children will be as in past days;his congregation will be established in my presence.I will punish all his oppressors.

the one great in counsel and powerful in action. Your eyes are on all the ways of the children of men in order to reward each person according to his ways and as the result of his actions.

All your wives and children will be brought out to the Chaldeans. You yourself will not escape from them, for you will be seized by the king of Babylon and this city will burn.’”

All the commanders of the armies that were in the countryside—they and their men—heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land. He had been put in charge of the men, women, and children from among the poorest of the land, who had not been deported to Babylon.

Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the armies with him then took from Mizpah all the remnant of the people whom he had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam—men, soldiers, women, children, and court officials whom he brought back from Gibeon.

They led away the men, women, children, king’s daughters, and everyone whom Nebuzaradan, captain of the guards, had allowed to remain with Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan. They also led the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch son of Neriah away.

Her adversaries have become her masters;her enemies are at ease,for the Lord has made her sufferbecause of her many transgressions.Her children have gone awayas captives before the adversary.

I weep because of these things;my eyes flow with tears.For there is no one nearby to comfort me,no one to keep me alive.My children are desolatebecause the enemy has prevailed.

Lord, see how I am in distress.I am churning within;my heart is broken,for I have been very rebellious.Outside, the sword takes the children;inside, there is death.