Study Desk

and if you say, "No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the sound of a horn or be hungry for bread, and we will stay there,"

"For the Lord of All, the God of Israel, says, ‘As My anger has been poured out on the people of Jerusalem, so My anger will be poured out on you when you go into Egypt. You will become a curse, and object of hate. People will say bad things against you. You will be put to shame. And you will never see this place again.'

"Take some large stones in your hands. And hide them among the stone blocks by the door of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes. Let some of the Jews see you do this.

Tell them, ‘The Lord of All, the God of Israel, says, "See, I will send for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant. And I will set his throne over these stones that I have hidden. He will spread his covering over them.

"This is what the Lord of All, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have seen all the trouble I have brought to Jerusalem and to all the cities of Judah. See, today they are a waste. No one lives in them.

This will be the special thing for you to see,' says the Lord. ‘I am going to punish you in this place, so that you may know that My words will be sure to stand against you for your hurt.'

What do I see? They are filled with fear and are turning back. Their strong men are beaten and are running away without looking back. Much fear is on every side," says the Lord.

See, one will come and fly down in a hurry like an eagle. He will spread out his wings against Bozrah. In that day the hearts of the strong men of Edom will be like the heart of a woman giving birth.

"See, I am against you, O proud one," says the Lord God of All. "For your day has come, the time when I will punish you.

"See, a nation is coming from the north. A great nation and many kings are moving from the farthest parts of the earth.

The Lord says, "See, I will raise up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon and against the people of Chaldea.

"See, I am against you, O destroying mountain, who destroys the whole earth," says the Lord. "I will put out My hand against you and roll you down from the high rocks. I will make you a burned-out mountain.

So the Lord says, "See, I will help you in your cause and punish Babylon for you. I will dry up her sea, and make her well dry.

Then Jeremiah said to Seraiah, "As soon as you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words out loud.

She was unclean in her clothing. She did not think about her future. She came to nothing. She had no one to comfort her. "O Lord, see my suffering, for those who hate me have won!"

All her people cry inside themselves as they look for bread. They have traded their things of much worth for food to have strength. "Look and see, O Lord, for I am hated.

Is it nothing to all you who pass this way? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow given me, which the Lord put on me in the day of His burning anger.

"The Lord is right and good, yet I have not wanted to obey His Word. Listen now, all you people, and see my suffering. My pure young women and young men have been taken away to a strange land.

See how I suffer, O Lord. My spirit is very troubled. My heart has no rest within me, for I have not obeyed. The sword kills in the street. In the house there is only death.

He has pulled back His bow string like one who fights against us. He has set His right hand like one who hates us, and has killed all that we liked to see. He has poured out His anger like fire on the tent of Zion.