Study Desk

But the Lord will take away her riches and throw them into the sea. And she will be destroyed by fire.

I said to them, "If you think it is right, give me my pay. But if not, keep it." So they weighed out thirty pieces of silver as my pay.

For I am going to have a shepherd rule over the land who will not care for the dying. He will not look for those who were sent everywhere or heal the hurt, or feed those who are well. But he will eat the flesh of the fat sheep and tear off their feet.

On that day," says the Lord, "I will put fear in every horse, and make the horsemen crazy. But I will watch over the people of Judah, while I make every horse of the nations blind.

But he will say, ‘I am not a man who speaks for God. I am a farmer. A man sold me as a servant when I was young.'

In the whole land," says the Lord, "two-thirds will die, but one-third will be left alive.

For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle. The city will be taken. The houses will be robbed. The women will be taken against their will. And half of the city will be taken away to a strange land. But the rest of the people will not be taken away from the city.

The whole land will be changed into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem will rise and stay on its land from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to where the king's wine is made.

"I have loved you," says the Lord. But you say, "How have You loved us?" "Was not Esau Jacob's brother?" says the Lord. "Yet I have loved Jacob,

but I have hated Esau. I have laid waste his mountains and have given his riches to the wild dogs of the desert."

Edom may say, "We have been destroyed, but we will return and build our cities again." But the Lord of All says, "They may build, but I will tear down. They will be called the sinful land, the people with whom the Lord is angry forever."

"A son honors his father. A servant honors his owner. Then if I am a father, where is My honor? If I am a boss, where is My respect? says the Lord of All to you, O religious leaders who hate My name. But you say, ‘How have we hated Your name?'

You are bringing unclean food to My altar. But you say, ‘How have we made Your altar unclean?' "Because you say the Lord's table is to be hated.

"But you are making it unclean when you say that the table of the Lord is unclean, and that its food is to be hated.

"A curse will come upon the sinful man who promises to give a male from his flock, but gives an animal that is not perfect to the Lord. For I am a great King," says the Lord of All. "And My name is feared among the nations.

But you have turned aside from the way. You have made many fall by your teaching. You have sinned against the agreement of Levi," says the Lord of All.

Has not the Lord made them one in flesh and spirit? And what does He desire but God-like children? Be careful then in your spirit, and stay faithful to the wife you married when you were young.

"But who can live through the day of His coming? Who can stand when He shows Himself? For He is like a fire for making gold pure, and like a strong cleaner.

"From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from My Laws and have not obeyed them. Return to Me, and I will return to you," says the Lord of All. "But you say, ‘How are we to return?'

Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing Me! But you say, ‘How have we robbed You?' You have not given Me the tenth part of what you receive and your gifts.