Study Desk

Oh that I had in the wildernesse a lodging place of wayfaring men, that I might leaue my people, and goe from them: for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

And they bend their tongue like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the trueth vpon the earth: for they proceed from euil to euill, and they know not me, saith the Lord.

Take yee heede euery one of his neighbour, and trust yee not in any brother: for euery brother will vtterly supplant, and euery neighbour will walke with slanders.

Therfore thus saith the Lord of hostes; Behold, I will melt them, and trie them: for how shall I doe for the daughter of my people?

Shall I not visit them for these things, saith the Lord ? shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this?

For the mountaines will I take vp a weeping and wayling, and for the habitations of the wildernesse a lamentation, because they are burnt vp, so that none can passe through them, neither can men heare the voyce of the cattell, both the foule of the heauens, and the beast are fled, they are gone.

Who is the wise man that may vnderstand this, and who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that hee may declare it; for what the land perisheth, and is burnt vp like a wildernesse that none passeth through?

Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider yee, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for cunning women, that they may come.

And let them make haste, and take vp a wailing for vs, that our eyes may run down with teares, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

For a voyce of wayling is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled? wee are greatly confounded, because wee haue forsaken the land, because our dwellings haue cast vs out.

For death is come vp into our windowes, and is entred into our palaces, to cut off the children from without and the yong men from the streetes.

But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that hee vnderstandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise louing kindnesse, iudgement and righteousnesse in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.

Egypt, and Iudah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the vtmost corners, that dwell in the wildernesse: for all these nations are vncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are vncircumcised in the heart.

Thus sayeth the Lord, Learne not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signes of heauen, for the heathen are dismayed at them.

For the customes of the people are vaine: for one cutteth a tree out of the forrest (the worke of the handes of the workeman) with the axe.

They are vpright as the palme tree, but speake not: they must needes bee borne, because they cannot goe: be not afraid of them, for they cannot doe euil, neither also is it in them to doe good.

Who would not feare thee, O King of nations? for to thee doeth it appertaine: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdomes, there is none like vnto thee.

Euery man is brutish in his knowledge, euery founder is confounded by the grauen image: for his moulten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

The portion of Iacob is not like them: for he is the fourmer of all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: the Lord of hostes is his Name.

For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distresse them, that they may find it so.