Study Desk

No one from the city of Anathoth will be left alive, because I will cause a disaster to happen to them that year."

How much longer will the land stay dried up and the grass in every field be dead? The animals and birds in the land have died, because the people are evil. Yes, they are even saying, "God does not see what happens to us."

They have turned my field into a desert that is wilted and dead. The whole country is an empty desert, because no one who lives there cares.

The people have planted wheat, but they have harvested only thorns. They have worked hard until they were very tired, but they have nothing for all their work. They are ashamed of their poor harvest, because the Lord 's terrible anger has caused this."

Listen and pay attention. Don't be too proud, because the Lord has spoken to you.

If you don't listen to him, I will cry secretly because of your pride. I will cry painfully, and my eyes will overflow with tears, because the Lord 's people will be captured.

Tell this to the king and the queen mother: "Come down from your thrones, because your beautiful crowns have fallen from your heads."

You might ask yourself, "Why has this happened to me?" It happened because of your many sins. Because of your sins, your skirt was torn off and your body has been treated badly.

Can a person from Cush change the color of his skin? Can a leopard change his spots? In the same way, Jerusalem, you cannot change and do good, because you are accustomed to doing evil.

This is what will happen to you; this is your part in my plans," says the Lord . "Because you forgot me and trusted in false gods,

The ground is dry and cracked open, because no rain falls on the land. The farmers are upset and sad, so they cover their heads in shame.

Even the mother deer in the field leaves her newborn fawn to die, because there is no grass.

Wild donkeys stand on the bare hills and sniff the wind like wild dogs. But their eyes go blind, because there is no food."

We know that we suffer because of our sins. Lord , do something to help us for the good of your name. We have left you many times; we have sinned against you.

If I go into the country, I see people killed by swords. If I go into the city, I see much sickness, because the people have no food. Both the priests and the prophets have been taken to a foreign land.'"

Do foreign idols have the power to bring rain? Does the sky itself have the power to send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. You are our only hope, because you are the one who made all these things.

I will make the people of Judah hated by everyone on earth because of what Manasseh did in Jerusalem. (Manasseh son of Hezekiah was king of the nation of Judah.)

When the enemy attacked, a woman with seven sons felt faint because they would all die. She became weak and unable to breathe. Her bright day became dark from sadness. She felt shame and disgrace. And everyone else left alive in Judah I will hand over to the enemies, too!" says the Lord .

Your wealth and treasures I will give to others free of charge, because the people of Judah have sinned throughout the country.

Your words came to me, and I listened carefully to them. Your words made me very happy, because I am called by your name, Lord God All-Powerful.