Study Desk

Israel flits around like a silly pigeon; first her people call on Egypt for help, and then they run to Assyria!

But I will spread out a net and catch them like birds as they go by. I will punish them for the evil they have done.

They have not prayed to me sincerely, but instead they throw themselves down and wail as the heathen do. When they pray for grain and wine, they gash themselves like pagans. What rebels they are!

"My people chose kings, but they did it on their own. They appointed leaders, but without my approval. They took their silver and gold and made idols—for their own destruction.

"The more altars the people of Israel build for removing sin, the more places they have for sinning!

I write down countless teachings for the people, but they reject them as strange and foreign.

They offer sacrifices to me and eat the meat of the sacrifices. But I, the Lord , am not pleased with them, and now I will remember their sin and punish them for it; I will send them back to Egypt!

And when the time comes for the appointed festivals in honor of the Lord , what will they do then?

When the disaster comes and the people are scattered, the Egyptians will gather them up—gather them for burial there at Memphis! Their treasures of silver and the places where their homes once stood will be overgrown with weeds and thorn bushes.

The time for punishment has come, the time when people will get what they deserve. When that happens, Israel will know it! "This prophet," you say, "is a fool. This inspired man is insane." You people hate me so much because your sin is so great.

They are hopelessly evil in what they do, just as they were at Gibeah. God will remember their sin and punish them for it.

The people whose hearts are deceitful must now suffer for their sins. God will break down their altars and destroy their sacred pillars.

These people will soon be saying, "We have no king because we did not fear the Lord . But what could a king do for us anyway?"

I will attack this sinful people and punish them. Nations will join together against them, and they will be punished for their many sins.

"Israel was once like a well-trained young cow, ready and willing to thresh grain. But I decided to put a yoke on her beautiful neck and to harness her for harder work. I made Judah pull the plow and Israel pull the harrow.

I said, ‘Plow new ground for yourselves, plant righteousness, and reap the blessings that your devotion to me will produce. It is time for you to turn to me, your Lord , and I will come and pour out blessings upon you.'

"How can I give you up, Israel? How can I abandon you? Could I ever destroy you as I did Admah, or treat you as I did Zeboiim? My heart will not let me do it! My love for you is too strong.

I will not punish you in my anger; I will not destroy Israel again. For I am God and not a mere human being. I, the Holy One, am with you. I will not come to you in anger.

The Lord has an accusation to bring against the people of Judah; he is also going to punish Israel for the way her people act. He will pay them back for what they have done.

he fought against an angel and won. He wept and asked for a blessing. And at Bethel God came to our ancestor Jacob and spoke with him.