Study Desk

Like wandering gazellesand like sheep without a shepherd,each one will turn to his own people,each one will flee to his own land.

It will never be inhabitedor lived in from generation to generation;a nomad will not pitch his tent there,and shepherds will not let their flocks rest there.

All the kings of the nationslie in splendor, each in his own tomb.

Prepare a place of slaughter for his sons,because of the iniquity of their fathers.They will never rise up to possess a landor fill the surface of the earth with cities.

I will break Assyria in my land;I will tread him down on my mountain.Then his yoke will be taken from them,and his burden will be removed from their shoulders.

The Lord of Armies himself has planned it;therefore, who can stand in its way?It is his hand that is outstretched,so who can turn it back?

What answer will be given to the messengers from that nation?The Lord has founded Zion,and his oppressed people find refuge in her.

We have heard of Moab’s pride—how very proud he is—his haughtiness, his pride, his arrogance,and his empty boasting.

When Moab appearsand tires himself out on the high placeand comes to his sanctuary to pray,it will do him no good.

On that daythe splendor of Jacob will fade,and his healthy body will become emaciated.

It will be as if a reaper had gathered standing grain—his arm harvesting the heads of grain—and as if one had gleaned heads of grainin the Valley of Rephaim.

I will provoke Egyptians against Egyptians;each will fight against his brotherand each against his friend,city against city, kingdom against kingdom.

The Lord has mixed within her a spirit of confusion.The leaders have made Egypt stagger in all she does,as a drunkard staggers in his vomit.

I will place the key of the house of David on his shoulder; what he opens, no one can close; what he closes, no one can open.

I will drive him, like a peg, into a firm place. He will be a throne of honor for his father’s family.

They will hang on him all the glory of his father’s family: the descendants and the offshoots—all the small vessels, from bowls to every kind of jar.

He stretched out his hand over the sea;he made kingdoms tremble.The Lord has commandedthat the Canaanite fortresses be destroyed.

The moon will be put to shameand the sun disgraced,because the Lord of Armies will reign as kingon Mount Zion in Jerusalem,and he will display his gloryin the presence of his elders.

For you have been a stronghold for the poor person,a stronghold for the needy in his distress,a refuge from storms and a shade from heat.When the breath of the violentis like a storm against a wall,

he will destroy death forever.The Lord God will wipe away the tearsfrom every faceand remove his people’s disgracefrom the whole earth,for the Lord has spoken.