Study Desk

The voice of those who flee and escape from the land of Babylon Declares in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, The vengeance of His temple.

"Behold, I am against you,O most haughty one!" says the Lord God of hosts;"For your day has come,The time that I will punish you. [fn]

As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah And their neighbors," says the LORD, "So no one shall reside there, Nor son of man dwell in it.

For Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah, By his God, the LORD of hosts, Though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel."

The LORD has revealed our righteousness. Come and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.

For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor When it is time to thresh her; Yet a little while And the time of her harvest will come."

Because the plunderer comes against her, against Babylon, And her mighty men are taken. Every one of their bows is broken; For the LORD is the God of recompense, He will surely repay.

Let him sit alone and keep silent, Because God has laid it on him;

Let us lift our hearts and hands To God in heaven.

Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the River Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions [fn] of God.

For they are impudent and stubborn children. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD.'

And go, get to the captives, to the children of your people, and speak to them and tell them, "Thus says the Lord GOD,' whether they hear, or whether they refuse."

But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, "Thus says the Lord GOD.' He who hears, let him hear; and he who refuses, let him refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

So I said, "Ah, Lord GOD! Indeed I have never defiled myself from my youth till now; I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by beasts, nor has abominable flesh ever come into my mouth."

"Thus says the Lord GOD: "This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the nations and the countries all around her.

Therefore thus says the Lord God: 'Because you have multiplied disobedience more than the nations that are all around you, have not walked in My statutes nor kept My judgments, nor even done Ezekiel 11:12).">[fn] according to the judgments of the nations that are all around you'--

therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "Indeed I, even I, am against you and will execute judgments in your midst in the sight of the nations.

"Therefore, as I live,' says the Lord GOD, "surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore I will also diminish you; My eye will not spare, nor will I have any pity.

and say, "O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains, to the hills, to the ravines, and to the valleys: "Indeed I, even I, will bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.

"Thus says the Lord GOD: "Pound your fists and stamp your feet, and say, "Alas, for all the evil abominations of the house of Israel! For they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence.