Study Desk

He will give a signal to faraway nations, he will whistle for them to come from the ends of the earth; and here they come, so fast! —

So when they tell you to consult those squeaking, squawking mediums and fortune-tellers; [you are to answer], "Shouldn't a people seek their God? Must the living ask the dead

So Adonai has raised up Retzin's foes against him and spurred on his enemies —

lass="poetry"> The people living in darkness have seen a great light; upon those living in the land that lies in the shadow of death, light has dawned. You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy; they rejoice in your presence as if rejoicing at harvest time, the way men rejoice when dividing up the spoil. For the yoke that weighed them down, the bar across their shoulders, and their driver's goad you have broken as on the day of Midyan['s defeat]. For all the boots of soldiers marching and every cloak rolled in blood is destined for burning, fuel for the fire. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz El Gibbor Avi-‘Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace], in order to extend the dominion and perpetuate the peace of the throne and kingdom of David, to secure it and sustain it through justice and righteousness henceforth and forever. The zeal of Adonai -Tzva'ot will accomplish this. Adonai sent a word to Ya‘akov, and it has fallen on Isra'el. All the people know it, Efrayim and the inhabitants of Shomron. But they say in pride, in the arrogance of their hearts, "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with cut stone; the sycamore-fig trees have been chopped down, but we will replace them with cedars." So Adonai has raised up Retzin's foes against him and spurred on his enemies — Aram from the east, P'lishtim from the west; and they devour Isra'el with an open mouth. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens. Yet the people do not turn to the one striking them, they don't seek Adonai -Tzva'ot. Therefore Adonai will cut off Isra'el's head and tail, [tall] palm frond and [lowly] reed in a single day. The old and the honored are the head, while prophets teaching lies are the tail. For those leading this people lead them astray, and those led by them are destroyed. Therefore Adonai takes no joy in their young men and has no compassion on their orphans and widows; for everyone is ungodly and does evil, every mouth speaks foolishly. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens. For wickedness burns like fire, it devours briars and thorns; it sets the forest underbrush ablaze, with clouds of smoke whirling upward. The anger of Adonai -Tzva'ot is burning up the land; the people, too, are fuel for the fire — no one spares even his brother. The one on the right grabs but stays hungry, the one on the left eats but is unfilled. Everyone devours his own arm's flesh — M'nasheh devours Efrayim; and Efrayim, M'nasheh; while together they oppose Y'hudah. Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens.

so as not to squat among the prisoners or fall among the slain? Even after all this, his anger remains, his upraised hand still threatens.

so won't I do to Yerushalayim and her non-gods what I did to Shomron and her idols?'"

For he says, "‘With my own strong arm I have done this, and with my wisdom, because I'm so clever! I erased the boundaries between peoples, I plundered their stores for the future; as a mighty man, I subjugated the inhabitants.

So few forest trees will remain that a child could list them.

Get ready to slaughter his sons for the iniquity of their fathers; so they won't arise, take over the earth and cover the world with their cities."

Adonai -Tzva'ot has sworn, "Just as I thought it, it will occur; just as I planned it, so it will be.

For you have forgotten the God who saved you, failed to remember the Rock of your strength; so you plant pagan-style gardens and set out vine-cuttings for a foreign god.

Where are they, then, those sages of yours? Let them tell you, so all can know what Adonai -Tzva'ot has planned against Egypt!

Adonai has mixed up their minds with a spirit that distorts judgment, so they make Egypt stagger in whatever she does, like a drunk staggering in his vomit.

It will be a sign and witness to Adonai -Tzva'ot in the land of Egypt; so that when they cry out to Adonai for help because of the oppressors, he will send them a savior to defend and rescue them.

Yet Adonai will strike Egypt, both striking and healing, so they will return to Adonai . He will listen to their prayers, and he will heal them.

It was at that time that Adonai , speaking through Yesha‘yahu the son of Amotz, said, "Go and unwind the sackcloth from around your waist, and take your sandals off your feet." So he did it, going about unclothed and barefoot.

so will the king of Ashur lead away the captives of Egypt and the exiles of Ethiopia, young and old, unclothed and barefoot, with their buttocks exposed, to the shame of Egypt.

"I will fasten him firmly in place like a peg, so that he will become a seat of honor for his clan.

Look at the land of the Kasdim! This was the people who did not exist when Ashur destined it for desert creatures. They erected their siege towers and tore down her palaces, so that it has been made a ruin.

"Take a lyre, walk the city, you poor, forgotten whore! Play sweetly, sing all your songs, so that they will remember you!"