Study Desk

Now therefore let her hear these things, she who is given to pleasures, who dwells in tranquillity, who says in her heart, I am, and there is none else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children;

But these two plagues shall come upon you in a moment, in one day: the loss of children and widowhood; they shall come upon you suddenly, for the multitude of your sorceries, and for the multitude of your magicians.

The children which you shall have during the time of your bereavement shall say again in your ears, The place is too narrow for us; make room for us to dwell.

Then you shall say in your heart, Who has borne me these? For, behold, I have been bereaved and barren, a captive, and wandering to and fro. And who has brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; and these children, where have they been?

For thus says the LORD: Even the prey of the mighty shall be taken away, and the captives of the mighty shall be delivered; and I will contend with him who contends with you, and I will save your children.

GIVE praise, O barren, you who did not bear; break forth into singing and rejoice, you who have not travailed with child; for more are the children of the barren than the children of her that is beloved by her husband, says the LORD.

And all your children shall learn of me; and great shall be the peace of your children.

Against whom do you sport yourselves? Against whom do you open your mouth wide and draw out the tongue? Are you not children of iniquity, an offspring of falsehood,

Comforting yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying children as sacrifices in the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks?

For he said, Surely they are my people, children that will not lie; so he became their Saviour.

They shall not labor in vain nor bring forth children for a curse; for they are the seed of the blessed of the LORD, both they and their children with them.

Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? Or shall a nation be born in an hour? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.

And upon horses and in chariots and in litters they shall bring all your brethren for an offering to the LORD out of all nations to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, as the children of Israel bring a meal offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.

Therefore I will yet contend with you, says the LORD; and with your childrens children I will contend.

As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so the children of Israel are ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets,

In vain have I smitten your children; they have received no discipline; the sword has devoured your prophets like a destroying lion.

Repent, O backsliding children, says the LORD; for I was pleased with you; and took one person of you from every town and two from every family, and I brought you to Zion.

And I said, I will consider you as children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations; and I said, You shall call me, My father, and shall not turn away from me.

A voice was heard on the highways, the weeping and supplications of the children of Israel; for they have perverted their ways, and they have forsaken the LORD their God.

Repent, O you backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings; and say, Behold, we are yours; for thou art the LORD our God.