Study Desk

"Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God : Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your fathers and go whoring after their detestable things?

When you present your gifts and offer up your children in fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord God , I will not be inquired of by you.

"As I live, declares the Lord God , surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out I will be king over you.

As I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgment with you, declares the Lord God .

"As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord God : Go serve every one of you his idols, now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.

"For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, declares the Lord God , there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land. There I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred offerings.

And you shall know that I am the Lord , when I deal with you for my name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, declares the Lord God ."

Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the Lord : Thus says the Lord God , Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it.

Then I said, "Ah, Lord God ! They are saying of me, ‘Is he not a maker of parables?'"

And when they say to you, ‘Why do you groan?' you shall say, ‘Because of the news that it is coming. Every heart will melt, and all hands will be feeble; every spirit will faint, and all knees will be weak as water. Behold, it is coming, and it will be fulfilled,'" declares the Lord God .

For it will not be a testing—what could it do if you despise the rod?" declares the Lord God .

"Therefore thus says the Lord God : Because you have made your guilt to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.

thus says the Lord God : Remove the turban and take off the crown. Things shall not remain as they are. Exalt that which is low, and bring low that which is exalted.

"And you, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord God concerning the Ammonites and concerning their reproach; say, A sword, a sword is drawn for the slaughter. It is polished to consume and to flash like lightning—

You shall say, Thus says the Lord God : A city that sheds blood in her midst, so that her time may come, and that makes idols to defile herself!

In you they take bribes to shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by extortion; but me you have forgotten, declares the Lord God .

Therefore thus says the Lord God : Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.

And her prophets have smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God ,' when the Lord has not spoken.

Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God ."

Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord God : "Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side: