Study Desk

All her people groan, seeking bread; They have given their treasures for food To restore their lives. "See, LORD, and look, For I am despised."

"I called to my lovers, but they deserted me; My priests and my elders perished in the city While they sought food to restore their strength themselves.

The LORD determined to destroy The wall of the daughter of Zion. He has stretched out a line, He has not restrained His hand from destroying, And He has caused rampart and wall to mourn; They have languished together.

The elders of the daughter of Zion Sit on the ground and are silent. They have thrown dust on their heads; They have put on sackcloth. The virgins of Jerusalem Have bowed their heads to the ground.

They say to their mothers, "Where is grain and wine?" As they faint like a wounded person In the streets of the city, As their lives are poured out In their mothers' arms.

Your prophets have seen for you Worthless and deceptive visions; And they have not exposed your wrongdoing So as to restore you from captivity, But they have seen for you worthless and misleading pronouncements.

All who pass along the way Clap their hands in ridicule at you; They hiss and shake their heads At the daughter of Jerusalem: "Is this the city of which they said, 'Perfect in beauty, A joy to all the earth'?"

All your enemies Have opened their mouths wide against you; They hiss and gnash their teeth. They say, "We have engulfed her! This certainly is the day which we awaited; We have reached it, we have seen it!"

They have silenced me in the pit And have thrown stones on me.

And within it there were figures resembling four living beings. And this was their appearance: they had human form.

Their legs were straight and their feet were like a calf's hoof, and they sparkled like polished bronze.

And each went straight forward; wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go, without turning as they went.

As for their rims, they were high and awesome, and the rims of all four of them were covered with eyes all around.

Wherever the spirit was about to go, they would go in that direction. And the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

Whenever those went, they went; and whenever those stopped, they stopped. And whenever those rose from the earth, the wheels rose just as they did; for the spirit of the living beings was in the wheels.

And I also heard the sound of their wings, like the sound of abundant waters as they went, like the voice of the Almighty, a sound of a crowd like the sound of an army camp; whenever they stopped, they let down their wings.

And a voice came from above the expanse that was over their heads; whenever they stood still, they let down their wings.

Then He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the sons of Israel, to a rebellious people who have rebelled against Me; they and their fathers have revolted against Me to this very day.

"And as for you, son of man, you are not to fear them nor fear their words, though thistles and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions; you are not to fear their words nor be dismayed at their presence, since they are a rebellious house.

yet the house of Israel will not be willing to listen to you, since they are not willing to listen to Me. The entire house of Israel certainly is stubborn and obstinate.