Study Desk

They return, but not to Ha`Elyon. They are like a faulty bow. Their princes will fall by the sword for the rage of their tongue. This will be their derision in the land of Mitzrayim.

They have set up kings, but not by me. They have made princes, and I didn't approve. Of their silver and their gold they have made themselves idols, That they may be cut off.

But although they sold themselves among the nations, I will now gather them; and they begin to waste away because of the oppression of the king of mighty ones.

I wrote for him the many things of my law; But they were regarded as a strange thing.

As for the sacrifices of my offerings, they sacrifice flesh and eat it; But the LORD doesn't accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity, And punish their sins. They will return to Mitzrayim.

For Yisra'el has forgotten his Maker and built palaces; And Yehudah has multiplied fortified cities; But I will send a fire on his cities, And it will devour its fortresses."

They won't dwell in the LORD's land; But Efrayim will return to Mitzrayim, And they will eat unclean food in Ashshur.

I found Yisra'el like grapes in the wilderness. I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at its first season; But they came to Ba`al-Pe`or, and consecrated themselves to the shameful thing, And became abominable like that which they loved.

Efrayim, like I have seen Tzor, is planted in a pleasant place; But Efrayim will bring out his children to the killer.

Yet I taught Efrayim to walk. I took them by his arms; But they didn't know that I healed them.

They will not return into the land of Mitzrayim; But the Ashshur will be their king, Because they refused to repent.

"But I am the LORD your God from the land of Mitzrayim. I will yet again make you to dwell in tents, As in the days of the solemn feast.

When Efrayim spoke, there was trembling. He exalted himself in Yisra'el, But when he became guilty in Ba`al, he died.

"Yet I am the LORD your God from the land of Mitzrayim; And you will know no god but me, And besides me there is no savior.

Who is wise, that he may understand these things? Who is prudent, that he may know them? For the ways of the LORD are right, And the righteous walk in them; But the rebellious stumble in them.

But I will remove the northern army far away from you, And will drive it into a barren and desolate land, Its front into the eastern sea, And its back into the western sea; And its stench will come up, And its bad smell will rise." Surely he has done great things.

The LORD will roar from Tziyon, And thunder from Yerushalayim; And the heavens and the eretz will shake; But the LORD will be a refuge to his people, And a stronghold to the children of Yisra'el.

But Yehudah will be inhabited forever, And Yerushalayim from generation to generation.

But I will send a fire into the house of Haza'el, And it will devour the palaces of Ben-Hadad.

But I will send a fire on the wall of `Aza, And it will devour its palaces.