Study Desk

ר (Resh) Look, O Lord ! I am distressed; my stomach is in knots! My heart is pounding inside me. Yes, I was terribly rebellious! Out in the street the sword bereaves a mother of her children; Inside the house death is present.

א (Alef) I am the man who has experienced affliction from the rod of his wrath.

I am deprived of peace; I have forgotten what happiness is.

I continually think about this, and I am depressed.

Watch them from morning to evening; I am the object of their mocking songs.

He said to me, "Son of man, I am sending you to the house of Israel, to rebellious nations who have rebelled against me; both they and their fathers have revolted against me to this very day.

The people to whom I am sending you are obstinate and hard-hearted, and you must say to them, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says.'

As for you, son of man, listen to what I am saying to you: Do not rebel like that rebellious house! Open your mouth and eat what I am giving you."

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

Then he said to me, "Son of man, I am about to remove the bread supply in Jerusalem. They will eat their bread ration anxiously, and they will drink their water ration in terror

"Therefore this is what the sovereign Lord says: I—even I—am against you, and I will execute judgment among you while the nations watch.

Say, ‘Mountains of Israel, Hear the word of the sovereign Lord ! This is what the sovereign Lord says to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I am bringing a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.

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

They will know that I am the Lord ; my threats to bring this catastrophe on them were not empty.'

Then you will know that I am the Lord —when their dead lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill and all the mountaintops, under every green tree and every leafy oak, the places where they have offered fragrant incense to all their idols.

I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land a desolate waste from the wilderness to Riblah, in all the places where they live. Then they will know that I am the Lord !"

My eye will not pity you; I will not spare you. For I will hold you responsible for your behavior, and you will suffer the consequences of your abominable practices. Then you will know that I am the Lord !

The king will mourn and the prince will be clothed with shuddering; the hands of the people of the land will tremble. Based on their behavior I will deal with them, and by their standard of justice I will judge them. Then they will know that I am the Lord !"

You will die by the sword; I will judge you at the border of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Lord .

Then you will know that I am the Lord , whose statutes you have not followed and whose regulations you have not carried out. Instead you have behaved according to the regulations of the nations around you!'"