Study Desk

Therefore, this is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I am about to punish the king of Babylon and his land just as I punished the king of Assyria.

Look, I am against you, you arrogant one—

Look, I am against you, devastating mountain.

Then say, ‘In the same way, Babylon will sink and never rise again because of the disaster I am bringing on her. They will grow weary.’”

Lord, see how I am in distress.I am churning within;my heart is broken,for I have been very rebellious.Outside, the sword takes the children;inside, there is death.

Let all their wickedness come before you,and deal with themas you have dealt with mebecause of all my transgressions.For my groans are many,and I am sick at heart.

My eyes are worn out from weeping;I am churning within.My heart is poured out in griefbecause of the destruction of my dear people,because infants and nursing babies faintin the streets of the city.

I am the man who has seen affliction

I am a laughingstock to all my people,mocked by their songs all day long.

When they sit and when they rise, look,I am mocked by their songs.

He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to the rebellious pagans who have rebelled against me. The Israelites and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this day.

The descendants are obstinate and hardhearted. I am sending you to them, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God says.’

“And you, son of man, listen to what I tell you: Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house. Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you.”

“Son of man,” he said to me, “feed your stomach and fill your belly with this scroll I am giving you.” So I ate it, and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.

He said to me, “Son of man, I am going to cut off the supply of bread in Jerusalem. They will anxiously eat food they have weighed out and in dread drink rationed water

therefore, this is what the Lord God says: See, I myself am against you, Jerusalem, and I will execute judgments within you in the sight of the nations.

You are to say: Mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God! This is what the Lord God says to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I am about to bring a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.

The slain will fall among you, and you will know that I am the Lord.

And they will know that I am the Lord; I did not threaten to bring this disaster on them without a reason.

You will all know that I am the Lord when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountaintops, and under every green tree and every leafy oak—the places where they offered pleasing aromas to all their idols.