Study Desk

Even if they raise children, I will take them away and not leave anyone alive. It will be bad for them when I leave them!

O Lord, what will You give them? Give them children who die before they are born, and make them not able to nurse their babies.

Ephraim is destroyed. Their root is dried up and they will give no fruit. Even if they give birth, I will kill the children they love."

My God will send them away because they have not listened to Him. And they will travel from nation to nation.

Their heart is not faithful, and now they must suffer for their sins. The Lord will break down their altars and destroy their pillars for worship.

Then they will say, "We have no king because we do not fear the Lord. And what could a king do for us?"

They speak empty words and make false promises, so punishment grows like weeds of poison in a plowed field.

The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel, will be destroyed. Thorns and thistles will grow on their altars. Then they will say to the mountains, "Cover us!" and to the hills, "Fall on us!"

I will punish them when I please. And the nations will be gathered against them when they are punished for their many sins.

The more I called them, the more they went from Me. They kept giving gifts in worship to the Baals and burning special perfume to false gods.

"They will not return to the land of Egypt, and Assyria will be their king, because they would not return to Me.

They will follow the Lord, and He will make noise like a lion. Yes, He will make noise like a lion, and His children will come from the west shaking with fear.

They will come shaking like birds from Egypt, and like doves from the land of Assyria. And I will return them to their homes," says the Lord.

And now they sin more and more. They make false gods for themselves. Their able workmen make them out of silver. And they say, "Let the men who give gifts in worship kiss the calf-gods!"

So they will be like the morning cloud, and like the water on the grass in the early morning which is soon gone. They will be like the dust of the grain that is blown away from the grain-floor, and like smoke from a fire.

When I fed them, they were filled. And when they were filled, their heart became proud and they forgot Me.

Samaria will suffer for her guilt, for she has not wanted to obey her God. They will be killed by the sword. Their little ones will be crushed in pieces. And their women who are soon to give birth will be torn open."

They run like strong men. They go over the wall like soldiers. They each walk straight on, and do not turn from their paths.

I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. There I will judge them for what they did to My people Israel. They have sent My people out among the different nations, and have divided up My land.

They have drawn names to see who would get My people. They have traded a boy for a woman who sells the use of her body. And they have sold a girl for wine to drink.