Study Desk

'This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: "Behold, I am going to turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you are making war against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the wall; and I will gather them into the middle of this city.

"You shall also say to this people, 'This is what the LORD says: "Behold, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death.

"Behold, I am against you, you inhabitant of the valley, You rocky plain," declares the LORD, "You who say, 'Who will come down against us? Or who will enter our dwellings?'

Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel says concerning the shepherds who are tending My people: "You have scattered My flock and driven them away, and have not been concerned about them; behold, I am going to call you to account for the evil of your deeds," declares the LORD.

"Therefore this is what the LORD of armies says concerning the prophets: 'Behold, I am going to feed them wormwood And make them drink poisonous water, For from the prophets of Jerusalem Ungodliness has spread into all the land.'"

"Am I a God who is near," declares the LORD, "And not a God far off?

"Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who steal My words from each other.

"Behold, I am against the prophets," declares the LORD, "who use their tongues and declare, 'The Lord declares!'

"Behold, I am against those who have prophesied false dreams," declares the LORD, "and reported them and led My people astray by their lies and reckless boasting; yet I did not send them nor command them, nor do they provide this people the slightest benefit," declares the LORD.

'I will also give them a heart to know Me, for I am the LORD; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me wholeheartedly.

"Then they will drink and loudly vomit and act insanely because of the sword that I am going to send among them."

"And you shall say to them, 'This is what the LORD of armies, the God of Israel says: "Drink, be drunk, vomit, fall down, and do not get up, because of the sword which I am sending among you."'

"For behold, I am beginning to inflict disaster on this city which is called by My name, so should you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth," declares the LORD of armies.'

'Perhaps they will listen and everyone will turn from his evil way, and I will relent of the disaster which I am planning to inflict on them because of the evil of their deeds.'

"But as for me, behold, I am in your hands; do with me as is good and right in your sight.

'Within two years I am going to bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD'S house, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took from this place and brought to Babylon.

'I am also going to bring back to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon,' declares the LORD, 'for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.'"

"Yet hear now this word which I am going to speak so that you and all the people can hear it!

"Therefore, this is what the LORD says: 'Behold, I am going to remove you from the face of the earth. This year you are going to die, because you spoke falsely against the LORD.'"

this is what the LORD of armies says: 'Behold, I am sending upon them the sword, famine, and plague; and I will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten due to rottenness.