Study Desk

Wake up, you drunkards, and weep;wail, all you wine drinkers,because of the sweet wine,for it has been taken from your mouth.

For a nation has invaded my land,powerful and without number;its teeth are the teeth of a lion,and it has the fangs of a lioness.

Grieve like a young woman dressed in sackcloth,mourning for the husband of her youth.

Woe because of that day!For the day of the Lord is nearand will come as devastation from the Almighty.

I call to you, Lord,for fire has consumedthe pastures of the wilderness,and flames have devouredall the trees of the orchard.

Even the wild animals cry out to you,for the river beds are dried up,and fire has consumedthe pastures of the wilderness.

They bound on the tops of the mountains.Their sound is like the sound of chariots,like the sound of fiery flames consuming stubble,like a mighty army deployed for war.

Then the Lord became jealous for his land and spared his people.

I will drive the northerner far from youand banish him to a dry and desolate land,his front ranks into the Dead Sea,and his rear guard into the Mediterranean Sea.His stench will rise;yes, his rotten smell will rise,for he has done astonishing things.

Don’t be afraid, land;rejoice and be glad,for the Lord has done astonishing things.

Don’t be afraid, wild animals,for the wilderness pastures have turned green,the trees bear their fruit,and the fig tree and grapevine yield their riches.

Children of Zion, rejoice and be gladin the Lord your God,because he gives you the autumn rainfor your vindication.He sends showers for you,both autumn and spring rain as before.

I will repay you for the yearsthat the swarming locust ate,the young locust, the destroying locust,and the devouring locust—my great army that I sent against you.

Then everyone who callson the name of the Lord will be saved,for there will be an escapefor those on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,as the Lord promised,among the survivors the Lord calls.

They cast lots for my people;they bartered a boy for a prostituteand sold a girl for wine to drink.

For you took my silver and gold and carried my finest treasures to your temples.

I will sell your sons and daughters to the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a distant nation, for the Lord has spoken.

Proclaim this among the nations:Prepare for holy war;rouse the warriors;let all the men of war advance and attack!

Let the nations be rousedand come to the Valley of Jehoshaphat,for there I will sit downto judge all the surrounding nations.

Multitudes, multitudesin the valley of decision!For the day of the Lord is nearin the valley of decision.