Study Desk

So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

In the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land.

So all the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down all the walls around Jerusalem.

Then the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was led away into exile from its own land.

"People have heard that I groan, That I have no comforter [in You]. All my enemies have heard of my desperation; They are delighted [O LORD] that You have done it. Oh, that You would bring the day [of judgment] which You have proclaimed So that they will become like me.

How shall I console you? To what shall I compare you, O Daughter of Jerusalem? With what shall I compare you, so that I may comfort you, O Virgin Daughter of Zion? For your ruin is as vast as the sea; Who can heal you?

He walled me in so that I cannot get out; He has weighted down my chain.

So I say, "My strength has perished And so has my hope and expectation from the LORD."

You have covered Yourself with a cloud So that no prayer can pass through.

They wandered, blind, in the streets; They were defiled with blood So that no one could touch their garments.

People cried to them, "Go away! Unclean! Depart! Depart! Do not touch!" So they fled, then they wandered [as fugitives]; People among the nations said, "They shall not stay here any longer with us."

The enemy hunted our steps, So that we could not walk in our streets; Our end drew near, Our days were finished For our end had come.

Why do You forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so long?

Return us to You, O LORD, so that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old,

Regarding their rims: they were so high that they were awesome and dreadful, and the rims of all four of them were full of eyes all around.

As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the surrounding radiance. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory and brilliance of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell face downward and I heard a voice of One speaking.

So I opened my mouth, and He fed me the scroll.

He said to me, "Son of man, eat this scroll that I am giving you and fill your stomach with it." So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

So the Spirit lifted me up and took me away, and I went embittered [by the sins of Israel] in the rage of my spirit; and the hand of the LORD was strong on me.

So I got up and went out to the plain; and behold, the glory and brilliance of the LORD was standing there, like the glory I had seen by the River Chebar, and I fell face downward.