Study Desk

"Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each according to his conduct," declares the Lord GOD. "Repent and turn away from all your offenses, so that wrongdoing does not become a stumbling block to you.

"Hurl away from you all your offenses which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! For why should you die, house of Israel?

"As for you, take up a song of mourning for the leaders of Israel

and say, 'What was your mother? A lioness among lions! She lay down among young lions, She raised her cubs.

'When she brought up one of her cubs, He became a young lion, And he learned to tear his prey; He devoured people.

'When she saw, as she waited, That her hope was lost, She took another of her cubs And made him a young lion.

'And he walked about among the lions, He became a young lion; He learned to tear his prey; He devoured people.

'They put him in a wooden collar with hooks And brought him to the king of Babylon; They brought him in hunting nets So that his voice would no longer be heard On the mountains of Israel.

'Your mother was like a vine in your vineyard, Planted by the waters; It was fruitful and thick with branches Because of abundant waters.

'And now it is planted in the wilderness, In a dry and thirsty land.

'And fire has gone out from its stem; It has consumed its shoots and fruit, So that there is no strong stem in it, A scepter to rule.'" This is a song of mourning, and has become a song of mourning.

on that day I swore to them, to bring them out from the land of Egypt into a land that I had selected for them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all the lands.

"I gave them My statutes and informed them of My ordinances, which, if a person follows them, then he will live by them.

"Also I gave them My Sabbaths to be a sign between Me and them, so that they might know that I am the LORD who sanctifies them.

"But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They did not walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, which, if a person follows them, then he will live by them; and they greatly profaned My Sabbaths. Then I resolved to pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to annihilate them.

'Sanctify My Sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, so that you may know that I am the LORD your God.'

"But the children rebelled against Me; they did not walk in My statutes, nor were they careful to follow My ordinances which, if a person follows them, then he will live by them; they profaned My Sabbaths. So I resolved to pour out My wrath on them, to use up My anger against them in the wilderness.

"As I live," declares the Lord GOD, "with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I assuredly shall be king over you.

"I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out;

"As a soothing aroma I will accept you when I bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered; and I will show Myself to be holy among you in the sight of the nations.