Study Desk

"They sow the wind, And reap the whirlwind. The stalk has no bud; It shall never produce meal. If it should produce, Aliens would swallow it up.

Yes, though they have hired among the nations,Now I will gather them;And they shall sorrow a little, [fn] Because of the burden [fn] of the king of princes.

For the sacrifices of My offerings they sacrifice flesh and eat it, But the LORD does not accept them. Now He will remember their iniquity and punish their sins. They shall return to Egypt.

They shall not dwell in the LORD's land, But Ephraim shall return to Egypt, And shall eat unclean things in Assyria.

"I found Israel Like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers As the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season. But they went to Baal Peor, And separated themselves to that shame; They became an abomination like the thing they loved.

My God will cast them away, Because they did not obey Him; And they shall be wanderers among the nations.

For now they say, "We have no king, Because we did not fear the LORD. And as for a king, what would he do for us?"

Also the high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, Shall be destroyed. The thorn and thistle shall grow on their altars; They shall say to the mountains, "Cover us!" And to the hills, "Fall on us!"

As they called them, [fn] So they went from them; [fn] They sacrificed to the Baals,And burned incense to carved images.

They shall come trembling like a bird from Egypt, Like a dove from the land of Assyria. And I will let them dwell in their houses," Says the LORD.

"Ephraim feeds on the wind, And pursues the east wind; He daily increases lies and desolation. Also they make a covenant with the Assyrians, And oil is carried to Egypt.

And Ephraim said, "Surely I have become rich, I have found wealth for myself; In all my labors They shall find in me no iniquity that is sin.'

Now they sin more and more,And have made for themselves molded images,Idols of their silver, according to their skill;All of it is the work of craftsmen.They say of them,"Let the men who sacrifice [fn] kiss the calves!"

Therefore they shall be like the morning cloud And like the early dew that passes away, Like chaff blown off from a threshing floor And like smoke from a chimney.

When they had pasture, they were filled; They were filled and their heart was exalted; Therefore they forgot Me.

Those who dwell under his shadow shall return;They shall be revived like grain,And grow like a vine.Their scent [fn] shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

Their appearance is like the appearance of horses; And like swift steeds, so they run.

They run like mighty men, They climb the wall like men of war; Every one marches in formation, And they do not break ranks.

They run to and fro in the city, They run on the wall; They climb into the houses, They enter at the windows like a thief.

Let the priests, who minister to the LORD, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, "Spare Your people, O LORD, And do not give Your heritage to reproach, That the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, "Where is their God?"'