Study Desk

Woe to the wicked—it will go badly for them,for what they have done will be done to them.

Then the Lord will create a cloud of smoke by day and a glowing flame of fire by night over the entire site of Mount Zion and over its assemblies. For there will be a canopy over all the glory,

and there will be a shelter for shade from heat by day, and a refuge and shelter from storm and rain.

What more could I have done for my vineyardthan I did?Why, when I expected a yield of good grapes,did it yield worthless grapes?

For the vineyard of the Lord of Armiesis the house of Israel,and the men of Judah,the plant he delighted in.He expected justicebut saw injustice;he expected righteousness,but heard cries of despair.

For a ten-acre vineyard will yieldonly six gallons of wine,and ten bushels of seed will yieldonly one bushel of grain.

Woe to those who call evil goodand good evil,who substitute darkness for lightand light for darkness,who substitute bitter for sweetand sweet for bitter.

who acquit the guilty for a bribeand deprive the innocent of justice.

Therefore, as a tongue of fire consumes strawand as dry grass shrivels in the flame,so their roots will become like something rottenand their blossoms will blow away like dust,for they have rejectedthe instruction of the Lord of Armies,and they have despisedthe word of the Holy One of Israel.

He raises a signal flag for the distant nationsand whistles for them from the ends of the earth.Look—how quickly and swiftly they come!

For Aram, along with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah, has plotted harm against you. They say,

‘Let us go up against Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it for ourselves. Then we can install Tabeel’s son as king in it.’”

“Ask for a sign from the Lord your God—it can be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven.”

Isaiah said, “Listen, house of David! Is it not enough for you to try the patience of men? Will you also try the patience of my God?

For before the boy knows to reject what is bad and choose what is good, the land of the two kings you dread will be abandoned.

and from the abundant milk they givehe will eat curds,for every survivor in the land will eat curds and honey.

You will not go to all the hillsthat were once tilled with a hoe,for fear of the thorns and briers.Those hills will be places for oxen to grazeand for sheep to trample.

for before the boy knows how to call ‘Father,’ or ‘Mother,’ the wealth of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria will be carried off to the king of Assyria.”

Band together, peoples, and be broken;pay attention, all you distant lands;prepare for war, and be broken;prepare for war, and be broken.

For this is what the Lord said to me with great power, to keep me from going the way of this people: