Study Desk

Young person, if you spend your youth only having fun, if you use your early years just to entertain yourself, if you follow your heart as you live your life, and let your eyes be your guide; understand that for all these things God will bring you to judgment.

the dust returns to earth, as it was, and the spirit returns to God, who gave it!

Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.

For God will bring to judgment everything we do, including every secret, whether good or bad. [Here is the final conclusion, now that you have heard everything: fear God, and keep his mitzvot; this is what being human is all about.]

Many peoples will go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of Adonai , to the house of the God of Ya‘akov! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of Adonai from Yerushalayim.

But Adonai -Tzva'ot is exalted through justice, God the Holy One is consecrated through righteousness.

They say, "We want God to speed up his work, to hurry it along, so we can see it! We want the Holy One of Isra'el's plan to come true right now, so we can be sure of it!"

"Ask Adonai your God to give you a sign. Ask it anywhere, from the depths of Sh'ol to the heights above."

Then [the prophet] said, "Listen here, house of David! Is trying people's patience such a small thing for you that you must try the patience of my God as well?

Therefore Adonai himself will give you people a sign: the young woman* will become pregnant, bear a son and name him ‘Immanu El [God is with us].

It will sweep through Y'hudah, flooding everything and passing on. It will reach even up to the neck, and its outspread wings will fill the whole expanse of the land." God is with us!

devise a plan, but it will come to nothing; say anything you like, but it won't happen; because God is with us .

So when they tell you to consult those squeaking, squawking mediums and fortune-tellers; [you are to answer], "Shouldn't a people seek their God? Must the living ask the dead

Distressed and hungry they will pass through the land; and because of their hunger they will grow angry and curse by their king and by their God. But whether they look up [to God]

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz El Gibbor Avi-‘Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace],

lass="poetry"> The people living in darkness have seen a great light; upon those living in the land that lies in the shadow of death, light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice in your presence as if rejoicing at harvest time, the way men rejoice when dividing up the spoil. For the yoke that weighed them down, the bar across their shoulders, and their driver's goad you have broken as on the day of Midyan['s defeat]. For all the boots of soldiers marching and every cloak rolled in blood is destined for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz El Gibbor Avi-‘Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace], in order to extend the dominion and perpetuate the peace of the throne and kingdom of David, to secure it and sustain it through justice and righteousness henceforth and forever. The zeal of Adonai -Tzva'ot will accomplish this. Adonai sent a word to Ya‘akov, and it has fallen on Isra'el. All the people know it, Efrayim and the inhabitants of Shomron. But they say in pride, in the arrogance of their hearts, "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stone; the sycamore-fig trees have been chopped down, but we will replace them with cedars." So Adonai has raised up Retzin's foes against him and spurred on his enemies — Aram from the east, P'lishtim from the west; and they devour Isra'el with an open mouth. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens. Yet the people do not turn to the one striking them, they don't seek Adonai -Tzva'ot. Therefore Adonai will cut off Isra'el's head and tail, [tall] palm frond and [lowly] reed in a single day. The old and the honored are the head, while prophets teaching lies are the tail. For those leading this people lead them astray, and those led by them are destroyed. Therefore Adonai takes no joy in their young men and has no compassion on their orphans and widows; for everyone is ungodly and does evil, every mouth speaks foolishly. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens. For wickedness burns like fire, it devours briars and thorns; it sets the forest underbrush ablaze, with clouds of smoke whirling upward. The anger of Adonai -Tzva'ot is burning up the land; the people, too, are fuel for the fire — no one spares even his brother. The one on the right grabs but stays hungry, the one on the left eats but is unfilled. Everyone devours his own arm's flesh — M'nasheh devours Efrayim; and Efrayim, M'nasheh; while together they oppose Y'hudah. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens.

A remnant will return, the remnant of Ya‘akov, to the mighty God.

"See! God is my salvation. I am confident and unafraid; for Yah Adonai is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation!"

Thus Bavel, that jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Kasdim, will be like S'dom and ‘Amora when overthrown by God.

Yet gleanings will be left, as when beating an olive tree — two or three olives at the very top, four or five on its fruitful branches," says Adonai , the God of Isra'el.