Study Desk

"‘You must tell them that this is what the Lord God says: "By my life, I promise that the people living in the ruined cities will be killed with a sword! If any people are out in the country, I will let animals kill and eat them. If people are hiding in the fortresses and the caves, they will die from disease.

"Son of man, speak against the shepherds of Israel for me. Speak to them for me. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘You shepherds of Israel have only been feeding yourselves. It will be very bad for you! Why don't you shepherds feed the flock?

The Lord God says, "I swear that wild animals will catch my sheep, and my people will become food for all those animals because they did not have any real shepherds. My shepherds did not look out for my flock. They did not feed my flock. No, they only killed the sheep and fed themselves!"

The Lord God says, "I am against the shepherds. I will demand my sheep from them. I will fire them. They will not be my shepherds anymore. Then the shepherds will not be able to feed themselves, and I will save my flock from their mouths. Then my sheep will not be food for them."

The Lord God says, "I myself will be their Shepherd. I will search for my sheep and take care of them.

Yes, I will feed my flock, and I will lead them to a place of rest." This is what the Lord God said.

This is what the Lord God says: "And you, my flock, I will judge between one sheep and another. I will judge between the male sheep and the male goats.

So the Lord God says to them: "I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the thin sheep!

Then I, the Lord , will be their God, and my servant David will be the ruler living among them. I, the Lord , have spoken.

Then they will know that I am the Lord their God. The family of Israel will know that I am with them and that they are my people." This is what the Lord God said!

"You are my sheep, the sheep of my grassland. You are only human beings, and I am your God." This is what the Lord God said.

Say to it, ‘This is what the Lord God says: "‘I am against you, Mount Seir! I will punish you and make you an empty wasteland.

So the Lord God says, "But I promise by my own life that I will let death have you. Death will chase you. You did not hate killing people, so death will chase you.

And the Lord God says, "You were jealous of my people. You were angry and hateful to them. So by my life, I swear that I will punish you the same way you hurt them! I will punish you and let my people know that I am with them.

This is what the Lord God says: "All the earth will be happy when I destroy you.

Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘The enemy said bad things against you. They said, Hurray! Now the ancient mountains will be ours!'

"So speak to the mountains of Israel for me. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘The enemy destroyed your cities and attacked you from every direction. They did this so that you would belong to the other nations. Then people talked and whispered about you.'"

So, mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Lord God ! This is what the Lord God says to the mountains, hills, streams, valleys, empty ruins, and abandoned cities that have been looted and laughed at by the other nations around them.

The Lord God says, "I swear, I will let my strong feelings speak for me! I will let Edom and the other nations feel my anger. They took my land for themselves. They really had a good time when they showed how much they hated this land. They took the land for themselves, just so they could destroy it."

"So say these things about the land of Israel. Speak to the mountains and to the hills, to the streams, and to the valleys. Tell them that this is what the Lord God says: ‘I will let my strong feelings and anger speak for me, because you had to suffer the insults from those nations.'"