Study Desk

Also, the beasts of the field long for you, because the courses of water are dried up, and fire has devoured the pastures of the desert.

And Yahweh utters his voice before his army, because his encampment is very large; strong is the one who carries out his decree, for great is the day of Yahweh and exceedingly fearful. Who can endure it?

Rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to Yahweh your God, because he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in loyal love, and relenting from harm.

The northerners I will remove from you; I will drive them to a desert and desolate land, its front to the eastern sea, and its rear into the western sea; its stench and odor will rise up because he has done great things.

Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, because Yahweh has done great things.

Do not fear, wild animals of the field, because the pastures of the desert have put forth new green shoots, because the tree has produced its fruit, the fig tree and the vine have yielded their produce.

Be glad, O children of Zion, be glad and rejoice in Yahweh your God, because he has given for you the autumn rains for your righteousness, and he has poured down for you rainwater, the autumn and spring rains, as before.

And it will happen—everyone who calls on the name of Yahweh will be rescued, because on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, as Yahweh said, and among the survivors whom Yahweh is calling.

Send forth the sickle, for the harvest is ripe! Go tread, for the winepress is full! The vats overflow, because their evil is great!

Egypt will become a desolation, and Edom will become a desolate desert, because of the violence they did against the children of Judah, in whose land they have shed innocent blood.

Thus says Yahweh, "For three transgressions of Damascus and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because they threshed Gilead with threshing sledges of iron!

Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Gaza and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because they exiled a whole community, handing them over to Edom!

Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Tyre and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because they delivered up a whole community to Edom and they did not remember the covenant of brotherhood!

Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Edom and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because he pursued his brother with the sword! He stifled his compassion and his anger tore them apart continually, and he kept his rage forever.

Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Ammon and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because they ripped open the pregnant women of Gilead in order to enlarge their territory!

Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Moab and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because he burned to lime the bones of the king of Edom.

Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Judah and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because they have rejected the law of Yahweh and have not kept his rules, and their lies have led them astray, after which their ancestors walked!

Thus says Yahweh: "For three transgressions of Israel and for four I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for money and the poor for a pair of sandals!

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

Therefore, because you trample on the poor and you take a grain tax from them, you built houses of dressed stone, but you will not live in them. You built vineyards of delightfulness, but you will not drink their wine.