Study Desk

In that day,^(a) the Lord will punish with his sword^(b)— his fierce, great and powerful sword— Leviathan^(c) the gliding serpent,^(d) Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster^(e) of the sea.

In that day^(f)— "Sing^(g) about a fruitful vineyard:^(h)

I, the Lord , watch over it; I water⁽ⁱ⁾ it continually. I guard^(j) it day and night so that no one may harm^(k) it.

I am not angry. If only there were briers and thorns confronting me! I would march against them in battle; I would set them all on fire.^(l)

Or else let them come to me for refuge;^(m) let them make peace⁽ⁿ⁾ with me, yes, let them make peace with me."

In days to come Jacob will take root,^(o) Israel will bud and blossom^(p) and fill all the world with fruit.^(q)

Has the Lord struck her as he struck^(r) down those who struck her? Has she been killed as those were killed who killed her?

By warfare^[a] and exile^(s) you contend with her— with his fierce blast he drives her out, as on a day the east wind^(t) blows.

By this, then, will Jacob's guilt be atoned^(u) for, and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:^(v) When he makes all the altar stones^(w) to be like limestone crushed to pieces, no Asherah poles^[b](x) or incense altars^(y) will be left standing.

The fortified city stands desolate,^(z) an abandoned settlement, forsaken^(aa) like the wilderness; there the calves graze,^(ab) there they lie down;^(ac) they strip its branches bare.

When its twigs are dry, they are broken off^(ad) and women come and make fires^(ae) with them. For this is a people without understanding;^(af) so their Maker has no compassion on them, and their Creator^(ag) shows them no favor.^(ah)

In that day the Lord will thresh^(ai) from the flowing Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt,^(aj) and you, Israel, will be gathered^(ak) up one by one.

And in that day^(al) a great trumpet^(am) will sound. Those who were perishing in Assyria and those who were exiled^(an) in Egypt^(ao) will come and worship^(ap) the Lord on the holy mountain^(aq) in Jerusalem.

Woe^(a) to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim's^(b) drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley^(c)— to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!^(d)

See, the Lord has one who is powerful^(e) and strong. Like a hailstorm^(f) and a destructive wind,^(g) like a driving rain and a flooding^(h) downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

That wreath, the pride of Ephraim's⁽ⁱ⁾ drunkards, will be trampled^(j) underfoot.

That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley,^(k) will be like figs^(l) ripe before harvest— as soon as people see them and take them in hand, they swallow them.

In that day^(m) the Lord Almighty will be a glorious⁽ⁿ⁾ crown,^(o) a beautiful wreath for the remnant^(p) of his people.

He will be a spirit of justice^(q) to the one who sits in judgment,^(r) a source of strength to those who turn back the battle^(s) at the gate.

And these also stagger^(t) from wine^(u) and reel^(v) from beer: Priests^(w) and prophets^(x) stagger from beer and are befuddled with wine; they reel from beer, they stagger when seeing visions,^(y) they stumble when rendering decisions.

All the tables are covered with vomit^(z) and there is not a spot without filth.

"Who is it he is trying to teach?^(aa) To whom is he explaining his message?^(ab) To children weaned^(ac) from their milk,^(ad) to those just taken from the breast?

For it is: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that^[a]; a little here, a little there.^(ae)"

Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues^(af) God will speak to this people,^(ag)

to whom he said, "This is the resting place, let the weary rest";^(ah) and, "This is the place of repose"— but they would not listen.

So then, the word of the Lord to them will become: Do this, do that, a rule for this, a rule for that; a little here, a little there^(ai)— so that as they go they will fall backward; they will be injured^(aj) and snared and captured.^(ak)

Therefore hear the word of the Lord ,^(al) you scoffers^(am) who rule this people in Jerusalem.

You boast, "We have entered into a covenant with death,^(an) with the realm of the dead we have made an agreement. When an overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(ao) it cannot touch us, for we have made a lie^(ap) our refuge and falsehood^[b] our hiding place.^(aq)"

So this is what the Sovereign Lord says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion,^(ar) a tested stone,^(as) a precious cornerstone for a sure foundation;^(at) the one who relies on it will never be stricken with panic.^(au)

I will make justice^(av) the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line;^(aw) hail^(ax) will sweep away your refuge, the lie, and water will overflow^(ay) your hiding place.

Your covenant with death will be annulled; your agreement with the realm of the dead will not stand.^(az) When the overwhelming scourge sweeps by,^(ba) you will be beaten down^(bb) by it.

As often as it comes it will carry you away;^(bc) morning after morning,^(bd) by day and by night, it will sweep through." The understanding of this message will bring sheer terror.^(be)

The bed is too short to stretch out on, the blanket too narrow to wrap around you.^(bf)

The Lord will rise up as he did at Mount Perazim,^(bg) he will rouse himself as in the Valley of Gibeon^(bh)— to do his work,^(bi) his strange work, and perform his task, his alien task.

Now stop your mocking,^(bj) or your chains will become heavier; the Lord, the Lord Almighty, has told me of the destruction decreed^(bk) against the whole land.^(bl)

Listen^(bm) and hear my voice; pay attention and hear what I say.

When a farmer plows for planting,^(bn) does he plow continually? Does he keep on breaking up and working the soil?

When he has leveled the surface, does he not sow caraway and scatter cumin?^(bo) Does he not plant wheat in its place,^[c] barley^(bp) in its plot,^[d] and spelt^(bq) in its field?

His God instructs him and teaches^(br) him the right way.

Caraway is not threshed^(bs) with a sledge,^(bt) nor is the wheel of a cart rolled over cumin; caraway is beaten out with a rod,^(bu) and cumin with a stick.

Grain must be ground to make bread; so one does not go on threshing it forever. The wheels of a threshing cart^(bv) may be rolled over it, but one does not use horses to grind grain.

All this also comes from the Lord Almighty, whose plan is wonderful,^(bw) whose wisdom is magnificent.^(bx)