Study Desk

'There is no one to plead your cause; No healing for your sore, No recovery for you.

'All your lovers have forgotten you, They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the punishment of a cruel one, Because your wrongdoing is great, And your sins are numerous.

'For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,' declares the LORD, 'Because they have called you an outcast, saying: "It is Zion; no one cares for her."'

'Their leader shall be one of them, And their ruler will come out from their midst; And I will bring him near and he shall approach Me; For who would dare to risk his life to approach Me?' declares the LORD.

"For there will be a day when watchmen On the hills of Ephraim call out, 'Arise, and let's go up to Zion, To the LORD our God.'"

For this is what the LORD says: "Sing aloud with joy for Jacob, And be joyful with the chief of the nations; Proclaim, give praise, and say, 'LORD, save Your people, The remnant of Israel!'

"They will come with weeping, And by pleading I will bring them; I will lead them by streams of waters, On a straight path on which they will not stumble; For I am a father to Israel, And Ephraim is My firstborn."

For the LORD has ransomed Jacob And redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.

"They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion, And they will be radiant over the bounty of the LORD— Over the grain, the new wine, the oil, And over the young of the flock and the herd. And their life will be like a watered garden, And they will never languish again.

"Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, And the young men and the old together; For I will turn their mourning into joy And comfort them, and give them joy for their sorrow.

This is what the LORD says: "A voice is heard in Ramah, Lamenting and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; She refuses to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more."

This is what the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from weeping And your eyes from tears; For your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD, "And they will return from the land of the enemy.

"There is hope for your future," declares the LORD, "And your children will return to their own territory.

"I have certainly heard Ephraim grieving, 'You have disciplined me, and I was corrected, Like an untrained calf; Bring me back that I may be restored, For You are the LORD my God.

'For after I turned back, I repented; And after I was instructed, I slapped my thigh; I was ashamed and also humiliated Because I bore the shame of my youth.'

"Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a delightful child? Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will certainly have mercy on him," declares the LORD.

"Set up roadmarks for yourself, Place guideposts for yourself; Direct your mind to the highway, The way by which you went. Return, O virgin of Israel, Return to these your cities.

"How long will you waver, You rebellious daughter? For the LORD has created a new thing on the earth: A woman will shelter a man."

"For I give plenty of water to the weary ones, and refresh everyone who languishes."

"But everyone will die for his own wrongdoing; each person who eats the sour grapes, his own teeth will become blunt.