Study Desk

You led our ancestors by a pillar of cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night so that they could find their way.

Then I commanded that the gates of Jerusalem should be shut as darkness fell every Friday evening, not to be opened until the Sabbath ended. I sent some of my own servants to guard the gates so that no merchandise could be brought in on the Sabbath day.

A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that they would be ready to do their duty on the appointed day.

A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day.

"‘Well,' you say, ‘at least God will punish their children!' But I say he should punish the ones who sin, so that they understand his judgment.

Have I feared the crowd or the contempt of the masses, so that I kept quiet and stayed indoors?

But now, why have you broken down our walls so that all who pass by may steal our fruit?

Teach me your ways, O Lord , that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you.

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

Let this be recorded for future generations, so that a people not yet born will praise the Lord .

I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word.

So the Lord will spell out his message for them again, one line at a time, one line at a time, a little here, and a little there, so that they will stumble and fall. They will be injured, trapped, and captured.

"Let them try to tell us what happened long ago so that we may consider the evidence. Or let them tell us what the future holds, so we can know what's going to happen.

The Sovereign Lord has given me his words of wisdom, so that I know how to comfort the weary. Morning by morning he wakens me and opens my understanding to his will.

Are you not the same today, the one who dried up the sea, making a path of escape through the depths so that your people could cross over?

But now I see that the prophets of Jerusalem are even worse! They commit adultery and love dishonesty. They encourage those who are doing evil so that no one turns away from their sins. These prophets are as wicked as the people of Sodom and Gomorrah once were."

Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away!

Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, ‘May the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!'

"This is what the Lord says: If you can break my covenant with the day and the night so that one does not follow the other,

Time after time I sent you prophets, who told you, "Turn from your wicked ways, and start doing things right. Stop worshiping other gods so that you might live in peace here in the land I have given to you and your ancestors." But you would not listen to me or obey me.