Study Desk

But rejoice and shout in exultation forever and ever over what I am about to create! For look! I am about to create Jerusalem as a source of rejoicing, and her people as a source of joy.

The wolf and the lamb shall feed like one, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox, but dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall do no evil, and they shall not destroy on all my holy mountain," says Yahweh.

And my hand has made all these things, and all these came to be," declares Yahweh, "but I look to this one: to the humble and the contrite of spirit and the one frightened at my word.

Indeed, I myself I will choose their ill treatment, and I will bring them objects of their dread, because I called, and no one answered; I spoke and they did not listen, but they did the evil in my eyes, and they chose that in which I do not delight."

Hear the word of Yahweh, you who are frightened at his word: Your brothers who hate you, who exclude you for my name's sake have said, "Let Yahweh be honored so that we may see your joy!" But they themselves shall be ashamed.

But Yahweh said to me, "You must not say, ‘I am a youth,' for to whomever I send you, you will go, and whatever I command you, you will speak.

But you, you must gird your loins, and stand, and speak to them all that I command you. Do not be afraid of them, or I will shatter you before them.

And they will fight against you but they will not prevail against you, for I am with you," declares Yahweh, "to deliver you."

And I brought you to the land of the orchard, to eat its fruit, and its good things. But you entered and defiled my land, and my inheritance you made a detestable thing.

Has a nation exchanged gods? And they are not gods! But my people have exchanged their glory for that which does not profit.

"For from long ago you have broken your yoke, you tore to pieces your bonds. And you said, ‘I will not serve!' But on every high hill and under every leafy tree you were lying down as a prostitute.

Restrain your foot from being barefoot, and your throat from thirst. But you said, ‘It is hopeless. No! For I have loved strangers, and after them I will go.'

Those who say to the tree, ‘You are my father,' and to the stone, ‘You gave birth to me.' For they have turned their backs to me, and not their faces. But in the time of their trouble they say, ‘Arise and save us.'

But where are your gods that you made for yourself? Let them arise if they can save you in the time of your trouble. For according to the number of your towns are your gods, O Judah.

Also on your skirts is found the blood of the life of the innocent, the poor. You did not find them in the act of breaking into a house. But in spite of all these things,

yet you say, ‘But I am innocent, surely his anger has turned away from me.' Look, I am entering into judgment with you because of your saying, ‘I have not sinned.'

Will he be angry forever? Will he maintain it always'? Look, you have spoken, but you have done all the evil that you could."

And I thought, ‘After her doing all these things to me she will return,' but she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.

Yet even in all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense," declares Yahweh.

But the shameful thing has devoured the labor of our ancestors from our youth, their flocks, and their cattle, their sons and their daughters.