Study Desk

I sent my servants, the prophets, to those people again and again. They spoke my message and said to the people, "Don't do this terrible thing. I hate for you to worship idols."

So I showed my anger against them. I punished the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. My anger made Jerusalem and the towns of Judah the empty piles of stone they are today.'

Even to this day the people of Judah have not made themselves humble. They have not shown any respect for me, and they have not followed my teachings. They have not obeyed the laws I gave you and your ancestors.'

There were a few survivors from Judah. They came here to Egypt. But I will destroy the few survivors from the family of Judah. They will be killed with swords or die from hunger. The people of other nations will point at them and wish evil for them. People will be shocked and frightened by what has happened to them. The name Judah will become a curse word and an insult.

Not one of the few survivors of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape my punishment. None of them will survive to come back to Judah. They want to come back to Judah and live there. But not one of them will go back to Judah, except a few people who escape.'"

There were many people from Judah living in southern Egypt. Many of the women from Judah were meeting together in a large group and making sacrifices to other gods, and their husbands knew what they were doing. Those men said to Jeremiah,

"Fast men cannot run away. Strong soldiers cannot escape. They will all stumble and fall. This will happen in the north, by the Euphrates River.

"Egypt, go to Gilead and get some medicine. You will make up many medicines, but they will not help. You will not be healed.

They will stumble again and again. They will fall over each other. They will say, ‘Get up; let's go back to our own people. Let us go back to our homeland. Our enemy is defeating us. We must get away.'

The hired soldiers in Egypt's army are like fat calves. They will all turn and run away. They will not stand strong against the attack. Their time of destruction is coming. They will soon be punished.

"Jacob, my servant, do not be afraid. Do not be frightened, Israel. I will save you from those faraway places. I will save your children from the countries where they are captives. Jacob will have peace and safety again, and no one will make him afraid."

This is what the Lord says: "Look, the enemy is gathering in the north like rising water. They will come like a river spilling over its banks. They will cover the whole country like a flood. They will cover the towns and the people living in them. Everyone in the country will cry for help. Everyone will cry out in pain.

Listen to the cries from Horonaim. They are cries of much confusion and destruction.

Moab's people go up the path to Luhith. They are crying bitterly as they go. On the road down to the town of Horonaim, cries of pain and suffering can be heard.

This is what the Lord says: "But I will soon send men to pour you from your jars. Then they will empty the jars and smash them to pieces."

"The people of Moab thought they were greater than the Lord . So punish them until they act like a drunk, falling and rolling around in his vomit. Then people will make fun of them.

I cry with the people of Jazer for Jazer. Sibmah, in the past your vines spread all the way to the sea. They reached as far as the town of Jazer. But the Destroyer has taken your fruit and grapes.

People will be afraid and run away, and they will fall into the deep holes. Anyone who climbs out of the deep holes will be caught in the traps. I will bring the year of punishment to Moab." This is what the Lord said.

"People have run from the powerful enemy. They ran to safety in the town of Heshbon. But a fire started in Heshbon. That fire started in Sihon's town, and it is destroying the leaders of Moab. It is destroying those proud people.

The Lord says, "By my own power, I make this promise: I promise that the city of Bozrah will be destroyed. It will become a ruined pile of rocks. People will use it as an example when they ask for bad things to happen to other cities. People will insult that city, and all the towns around Bozrah will become ruins forever."