Study Desk

See, he comes up like clouds. His war-wagons come like the strong-wind. His horses are faster than eagles. It is bad for us, for we are destroyed!

I looked and saw that the rich land was a desert. All its cities were laid waste before the Lord and His burning anger.

They were like well-fed horses full of sinful desire, each one wanting his neighbor's wife.

Shepherds and their flocks will come to her. They will set up their tents around her and feed their flocks there, each in his place.

For if you for sure change your ways and what you do for the better, if you are fair as you judge between a man and his neighbor,

And you will say to them, ‘This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the Lord their God or receive His strong teaching. They have lost the truth. It has been cut off from their mouth.

I have listened and heard, but they have not said what is right. No man turned from his sinful way, saying, ‘What have I done?' Every one turns to his own way like a horse running into battle.

The noise of his horses is heard from Dan. The whole land shakes at the sound of his war horses. For they come and destroy the land and everything that is in it, the city and those who live in it.

"Let every one watch his neighbor. Do not trust any brother. Because every brother sets traps, and every neighbor goes about hurting people with his talk.

Every one fools his neighbor, and does not tell the truth. They have taught their tongue to tell lies. They become tired doing so many sins.

Their tongue is an arrow that kills. It lies. A man speaks peace to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he plans to trap him.

Now hear the Word of the Lord, O you women. Let your ear receive the Word of His mouth. Teach your daughters a song of sorrow. Every one teach her neighbor a song for the dead.

The Lord says, "Let not a wise man speak with pride about his wisdom. Let not the strong man speak with pride about his strength. And let not a rich man speak with pride about his riches.

But the Lord is the true God. He is the living God and the King Who lives forever. The earth shakes at His anger. And the nations cannot last when He is angry.

It is He Who made the earth by His power, and the world by His wisdom. By His understanding He has spread out the heavens.

When He speaks, there is a storm of waters in the heavens. He makes the clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and brings out the wind from His store-houses.

Every man is a poor thinker and without learning. Every one who works with gold is put to shame by his false gods. For his objects of worship fool people. There is no breath in them.

He Who is the God of Jacob is not like these, for He has made all things. And Israel is His chosen family. The Lord of All is His name.

O Lord, I know that a man's way is not known by himself. It is not in man to lead his own steps.

Pour out Your anger on the nations that do not know You, and on the families that do not call on Your name. For they have destroyed Jacob. They have destroyed him and have laid waste his land.