Study Desk

This is what the Lord says: "Because Gaza has committed three crimes— make that four!—I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They deported a whole community and sold them to Edom.

This is what the Lord says: "Because Tyre has committed three crimes— make that four!—I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They sold a whole community to Edom; they failed to observe a treaty of brotherhood.

This is what the Lord says: "Because Edom has committed three crimes— make that four!—I will not revoke my decree of judgment. He chased his brother with a sword; he wiped out his allies. In his anger he tore them apart without stopping to rest; in his fury he relentlessly attacked them.

This is what the Lord says: "Because the Ammonites have committed three crimes— make that four!—I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They ripped open Gilead's pregnant women so they could expand their territory.

This is what the Lord says: "Because Moab has committed three crimes— make that four!—I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They burned the bones of Edom's king into lime.

This is what the Lord says: "Because Judah has committed three covenant transgressions— make that four!—I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They rejected the Lord 's law; they did not obey his commands. Their false gods, to which their fathers were loyal, led them astray.

This is what the Lord says: "Because Israel has committed three covenant transgressions— make that four!—I will not revoke my decree of judgment. They sold the innocent for silver, the needy for a pair of sandals.

"Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel. Because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, Israel!

Therefore, because you make the poor pay taxes on their crops and exact a grain tax from them, you will not live in the houses you built with chiseled stone, nor will you drink the wine from the fine vineyards you planted.

Because of Israel's sins this is what the Lord , the God who commands armies, the sovereign One, says: "In all the squares there will be wailing, in all the streets they will mourn the dead. They will tell the field workers to lament and the professional mourners to wail.

You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. You say, "Did we not conquer Karnaim by our own power?"

Because of this the earth will quake, and all who live in it will mourn. The whole earth will rise like the River Nile, it will surge upward and then grow calm, like the Nile in Egypt.

"Because you violently slaughtered your relatives, the people of Jacob, shame will cover you, and you will be destroyed forever.

"Go immediately to Nineveh, that large capital city, and announce judgment against its people because their wickedness has come to my attention."

Hearing this, the men became even more afraid and said to him, "What have you done?" (The men said this because they knew that he was trying to escape from the Lord , because he had previously told them.)

Because the storm was growing worse and worse, they said to him, "What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?"

He said to them, "Pick me up and throw me into the sea to make the sea quiet down, because I know it's my fault you are in this severe storm."

Instead, they tried to row back to land, but they were not able to do so because the storm kept growing worse and worse.

He prayed to the Lord and said, "Oh, Lord , this is just what I thought would happen when I was in my own country. This is what I tried to prevent by attempting to escape to Tarshish!—because I knew that you are gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in mercy, and one who relents concerning threatened judgment.

So now, Lord , kill me instead, because I would rather die than live!"