Study Desk

And the word of Yahweh came unto me, saying:

Son of man, say to her. Thou, art a land, that is not to be rained upon, nor to receive fruitful showers, in the day of indignation.

Because her princes in her midst are like a roaring lion rending prey, - Life, have they devoured Wealth and precious things, have they been wont to take, Her widows, have they multiplied in her midst.

Her priests have done violence to my law And have profaned my holy things, Between the hallowed and the common, have they put no difference, And between the unclean and clean, have they not taught men to discern,- And from my sabbaths, have they hid their eyes, So that I have been profaned in their midst.

Her rulers within her have been like wolves, rending prey,- In shedding blood In destroying lives, For the sake of getting dishonest gain.

And her prophets have coated it for them with whitewash, Seeing visions of falsehood And divining for them lies, Saying, Thus saith My Lord Yahweh, when Yahweh, hath not spoken.

The people of the land have exacted oppression, and seized plunder,- Even the afflicted and the needy, have they maltreated, And the sojourner have they oppressed without justice.

Then sought I from among them, a man Who could bud up a wall And stand in the breach before me in behalf of the land So that I might not destroy her, - But I found none.

Therefore have I poured out upon them mine indignation, In the fire of mine outburst, have I consumed them, - Their way, upon their own head, have I placed Declareth, My Lord Yahweh.