Study Desk

Other nations will respect and honor you. Your homes will be filled with children, and you will celebrate, singing praises to me.

They will weep and pray as I bring them home. I will lead them to streams of water. They will walk on a level road and not stumble. I am a father to Israel, my favorite children.

In Ramah a voice is heard, crying and weeping loudly. Rachel mourns for her children and refuses to be comforted, because they are dead.

But I, the Lord , say to dry your tears. Someday your children will come home from the enemy's land. Then all you have done for them will be greatly rewarded.

People of Israel, you are my own dear children. Don't I love you best of all? Though I often make threats, I want you to be near me, so I will have mercy on you. I, the Lord , have spoken.

No longer will anyone go around saying, "Sour grapes eaten by parents leave a sour taste in the mouths of their children."

I will make their thoughts and desires pure. Then they will realize that, for their own good and the good of their children, they must worship only me. They will even be afraid to turn away from me. I will make an agreement with them that will never end, and I won't ever stop doing good things for them. With all my heart I promise that they will be planted in this land once again.

You, your children, and your servants are evil, and I will punish all of you. I warned you and the people of Judah and Jerusalem that I would bring disaster, but none of you have listened. So now you are doomed!

The Babylonian army will take your wives and children captive, you will be taken as a prisoner to the King of Babylonia, and Jerusalem will be burned down."

Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, together with Johanan and Jonathan, the two sons of Kareah, had been officers in Judah's army. And so had Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah from Maacah. They and their troops had been stationed outside Jerusalem and had not been captured. They heard that Gedaliah had been chosen to rule Judah, and that the poorest men, women, and children had not been taken away to Babylonia. So they went to Mizpah and met with their new ruler.

Johanan and the officers had rescued the women, children, and royal officials that Ishmael had taken prisoner after killing Gedaliah. Johanan led the people from Gibeon

Baruch and I and others in the group had been staying with Gedaliah, because Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian officer in charge of the guard, had ordered him to take care of the king's daughters and quite a few men, women, and children.

Why do you now insist on heading for another disaster? A disaster that will destroy not only you, but also your children and babies.

When you hear the thunder of horses and chariots, your courage will vanish, and parents will abandon their own children.

Moab will be shattered! Your children will sob

People of Moab, you worshiped Chemosh, your god, but now you are done for, and your children are prisoners in a foreign country.

The Lord has this to say about the nation of Ammon: The people of Israel have plenty of children to inherit their lands. So why have you worshipers of the god Milcom taken over towns and land belonging to the Gad tribe?

But I will take everything that belongs to you, people of Edom, and I will uncover every place where you try to hide. Then you will die, and so will your children, relatives, and neighbors.

Listen to my plans for you, people of Edom. Your children will be dragged off and your country destroyed.

Listen to my plans for you, people of Babylonia. Your children will be dragged off, and your country destroyed.