Study Desk

Won’t your creditors suddenly arise,and those who disturb you wake up?Then you will become spoil for them.

Woe to him who dishonestly makeswealth for his houseto place his nest on high,to escape the grasp of disaster!

You have planned shame for your houseby wiping out many peoplesand sinning against your own self.

For the stones will cry out from the wall,and the rafters will answer themfrom the woodwork.

Is it not from the Lord of Armiesthat the peoples labor only to fuel the fireand countries exhaust themselves for nothing?

For the earth will be filledwith the knowledge of the Lord’s glory,as the water covers the sea.

For your violence against Lebanonwill overwhelm you;the destruction of animals will terrify youbecause of your human bloodshed and violenceagainst lands, cities, and all who live in them.

I heard, and I trembled within;my lips quivered at the sound.Rottenness entered my bones;I trembled where I stood.Now I must quietly wait for the day of distressto come against the people invading us.

Be silent in the presence of the Lord God,for the day of the Lord is near.Indeed, the Lord has prepared a sacrifice;he has consecrated his guests.

Wail, you residents of the Hollow,for all the merchants will be silenced;all those loaded with silver will be cut off.

Their silver and their goldwill be unable to rescue themon the day of the Lord’s wrath.The whole earth will be consumedby the fire of his jealousy,for he will make a complete,yes, a horrifying endof all the inhabitants of the earth.

For Gaza will be abandoned,and Ashkelon will become a ruin.Ashdod will be driven out at noon,and Ekron will be uprooted.

The seacoast will become pasturelandswith caves for shepherds and pens for sheep.

The coastland will belongto the remnant of the house of Judah;they will find pasture there.They will lie down in the eveningamong the houses of Ashkelon,for the Lord their God will return to themand restore their fortunes.

This is what they get for their pride,because they have taunted and acted arrogantlyagainst the people of the Lord of Armies.

Herds will lie down in the middle of it,every kind of wild animal.Both eagle owls and heronswill roost in the capitals of its pillars.Their calls will sound from the window,but devastation will be on the threshold,for he will expose the cedar work.

This is the jubilant citythat lives in security,that thinks to herself:I exist, and there is no one else.What a desolation she has become,a place for wild animals to lie down!Everyone who passes by herscoffs and shakes his fist.

The princes within her are roaring lions;her judges are wolves of the night,which leave nothing for the morning.

Therefore, wait for me—

For I will then restorepure speech to the peoplesso that all of them may callon the name of the Lordand serve him with a single purpose.