Study Desk

‘Thus says Lord Yahweh, "The gate of the inner court facing east shall be shut the six working days; but it shall be opened on the sabbath day and opened on the day of the new moon.

Then the prince shall enter by way of the porch of the gate from outside and stand by the post of the gate. Then the priests shall provide his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate and then go out; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.

But when the people of the land come before Yahweh at the appointed times, he who enters by way of the north gate to worship shall go out by way of the south gate. And he who enters by way of the south gate shall go out by way of the north gate. No one shall return by way of the gate by which he entered but shall go straight out.

But if he gives a gift from his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his until the year of liberty; then it shall return to the prince. His inheritance shall be only his sons'; it shall belong to them.

But its marshes and swamps will not be healed; they will be left for salt.

But I will have compassion on the house of Judah and save them by Yahweh their God, and I will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen."

So she will pursue her lovers, but she will not overtake them;And she will seek them, but will not find them.Then she will say, ‘I will go, and I will return to my first husband,For it was better for me then than now!'

They will eat, but not be satisfied;They will play the harlot, but not break forth in number,Because they have forsaken Yahweh to keep harlotry.

And the revolters have dug deep into slaughtering,But I will chastise all of them.

They will go with their flocks and herdsTo seek Yahweh, but they will not find Him;He has withdrawn from them.

"Come, let us return to Yahweh.For He has torn us, but He will heal us;He has struck us, but He will bandage us.

But like Adam they have trespassed against the covenant;There they have dealt treacherously against Me.

Woe to them, for they have fled from Me!Destruction is theirs, for they have transgressed against Me!And I would redeem them, but they speak lies against Me.

They turn, but not upward;They are like a deceitful bow;Their princes will fall by the swordBecause of the indignation of their tongue.This will be their scoffing in the land of Egypt.

They have set up kings, but not by Me;They have appointed princes, but I did not know it.With their silver and gold they have made idols for themselves,That they might be cut off.

As for My sacrificial gifts,They sacrifice the flesh and eat it,But Yahweh has not accepted them.Now He will remember their iniquityAnd punish them for their sins;They will return to Egypt.

So Israel has forgotten his Maker and built palaces;And Judah has multiplied fortified cities,But I will send a fire on its cities that it may consume its palatial dwellings.

They will not remain in the land of Yahweh,But Ephraim will return to Egypt,And in Assyria they will eat unclean food.

Ephraim, as I have seen,Is planted in a pasture like Tyre;But Ephraim will bring out his children for killing.

And Ephraim is a trained heifer that loves to thresh,But I will come over her fair neck with a yoke;I will harness Ephraim;Judah will plow; Jacob will harrow for himself.