Study Desk

The Lord has commanded concerning you: "Your name shall be perpetuated no longer; from the house of your gods I will cut off the carved image and the cast image. I will make your grave, for you are worthless."

Look! On the mountains the feet of one who brings good tidings, who proclaims peace! Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, fulfill your vows, for never again shall the wicked invade you; they are utterly cut off.

(For the Lord is restoring the majesty of Jacob, as well as the majesty of Israel, though ravagers have ravaged them and ruined their branches.)

The lion has torn enough for his whelps and strangled prey for his lionesses; he has filled his caves with prey and his dens with torn flesh.

Then all who see you will shrink from you and say, "Nineveh is devastated; who will bemoan her?" Where shall I seek comforters for you?

Yet she became an exile, she went into captivity; even her infants were dashed in pieces at the head of every street; lots were cast for her nobles, all her dignitaries were bound in fetters.

Draw water for the siege, strengthen your forts; trample the clay, tread the mortar, take hold of the brick mold!

There is no assuaging your hurt, your wound is mortal. All who hear the news about you clap their hands over you. For who has ever escaped your endless cruelty?

O Lord , how long shall I cry for help, and you will not listen? Or cry to you "Violence!" and you will not save?

Look at the nations, and see! Be astonished! Be astounded! For a work is being done in your days that you would not believe if you were told.

For I am rousing the Chaldeans, that fierce and impetuous nation, who march through the breadth of the earth to seize dwellings not their own.

They all come for violence, with faces pressing forward; they gather captives like sand.

Are you not from of old, O Lord my God, my Holy One? You shall not die. O Lord , you have marked them for judgment; and you, O Rock, have established them for punishment.

Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his seine; for by them his portion is lavish, and his food is rich.

For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.

Moreover, wealth is treacherous; the arrogant do not endure. They open their throats wide as Sheol; like Death they never have enough. They gather all nations for themselves, and collect all peoples as their own.

Shall not everyone taunt such people and, with mocking riddles, say about them, "Alas for you who heap up what is not your own!" How long will you load yourselves with goods taken in pledge?

Will not your own creditors suddenly rise, and those who make you tremble wake up? Then you will be booty for them.

"Alas for you who get evil gain for your house, setting your nest on high to be safe from the reach of harm!"

You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life.