Study Desk

For this reason the Lord, the Lord of armies, the Strong One of Israel, has said, I will put an end to my haters, and send punishment on those who are against me;

For you will be put to shame because of the trees of your desire, and because of the gardens of your pleasure.

For you will be like a tree whose leaves have become dry, and like a garden without water.

And the strong will be as food for the fire, and his work as a flame; and they will be burned together, with no one to put out the fire.

And the peoples will say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob: and he will give us knowledge of his ways, and we will be guided by his word; for out of Zion the law will go out, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

And he will be the judge between the nations, and the peoples will be ruled by his decisions: and their swords will be turned into plough-blades, and their spears into vine-knives: no longer will the nations be turning their swords against one another, and the knowledge of war will be gone for ever.

For you, O Lord, have given up your people, the family of Jacob, because they are full of the evil ways of the east, and make use of secret arts like the Philistines, and are friends with the children of strange countries.

And the poor man's head is bent, and the great man goes down on his face: for this cause there will be no forgiveness for their sin.

For the day of the Lord of armies is coming on all the pride of men, and on all who are high and lifted up;

And men will go into cracks of the rocks, and into holes of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and before the glory of his power, when he comes out of his place, shaking the earth with his strength.

In that day men will put their images of silver and of gold, which they made for worship, in the keeping of the beasts of the dark places;

To take cover in the cracks of the rocks, and in the holes of the hills, for fear of the Lord, and before the glory of his power, when he comes out of his place, shaking the earth with his strength.

Have no more to do with man, whose life is only a breath, for he is of no value.

For the Lord, the Lord of armies, is about to take away from Jerusalem and from Judah all their support; their store of bread and of water;

When one man puts his hand on another in his father's house, and says, You have clothing, be our ruler and be responsible for us in our sad condition:

Then he will say with an oath, I will not be a helper, for in my house there is no bread or clothing: I will not let you make me a ruler of the people.

For Jerusalem has become feeble, and destruction has come on Judah, because their words and their acts are against the Lord, moving the eyes of his glory to wrath.

Their respect for a man's position is a witness against them; and their sin is open to the view of all; like that of Sodom, it is not covered. A curse on their soul! for the measure of their sin is full.

Happy is the upright man! for he will have joy of the fruit of his ways.

Unhappy is the sinner! for the reward of his evil doings will come on him.