Study Desk

"Woe^(a) to the obstinate children,"^(b) declares the Lord , "to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance,^(c) but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin;

who go down to Egypt^(d) without consulting^(e) me; who look for help to Pharaoh's protection,^(f) to Egypt's shade for refuge.^(g)

But Pharaoh's protection will be to your shame, Egypt's shade^(h) will bring you disgrace.⁽ⁱ⁾

Though they have officials in Zoan^(j) and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,

everyone will be put to shame because of a people^(k) useless^(l) to them, who bring neither help^(m) nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace.⁽ⁿ⁾"

A prophecy^(o) concerning the animals of the Negev:^(p) Through a land of hardship and distress,^(q) of lions^(r) and lionesses, of adders and darting snakes,^(s) the envoys carry their riches on donkeys'^(t) backs, their treasures^(u) on the humps of camels, to that unprofitable nation,

to Egypt, whose help is utterly useless.^(v) Therefore I call her Rahab^(w) the Do-Nothing.

Go now, write it on a tablet^(x) for them, inscribe it on a scroll,^(y) that for the days to come it may be an everlasting witness.^(z)

For these are rebellious^(aa) people, deceitful^(ab) children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord 's instruction.^(ac)

They say to the seers,^(ad) "See no more visions^(ae)!" and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things,^(af) prophesy illusions.^(ag)

Leave this way,^(ah) get off this path, and stop confronting^(ai) us with the Holy One^(aj) of Israel!"

Therefore this is what the Holy One^(ak) of Israel says: "Because you have rejected this message,^(al) relied on oppression^(am) and depended on deceit,

this sin will become for you like a high wall,^(an) cracked and bulging, that collapses^(ao) suddenly,^(ap) in an instant.

It will break in pieces like pottery,^(aq) shattered so mercilessly that among its pieces not a fragment will be found for taking coals from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern."

This is what the Sovereign^(ar) Lord , the Holy One^(as) of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest^(at) is your salvation, in quietness and trust^(au) is your strength, but you would have none of it.^(av)

You said, ‘No, we will flee^(aw) on horses.'^(ax) Therefore you will flee! You said, ‘We will ride off on swift horses.' Therefore your pursuers will be swift!

A thousand will flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five^(ay) you will all flee^(az) away, till you are left^(ba) like a flagstaff on a mountaintop, like a banner^(bb) on a hill."

Yet the Lord longs^(bc) to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion.^(bd) For the Lord is a God of justice.^(be) Blessed are all who wait for him!^(bf)

People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more.^(bg) How gracious he will be when you cry for help!^(bh) As soon as he hears, he will answer^(bi) you.

Although the Lord gives you the bread^(bj) of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers^(bk) will be hidden^(bl) no more; with your own eyes you will see them.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice^(bm) behind you, saying, "This is the way;^(bn) walk in it."

Then you will desecrate your idols^(bo) overlaid with silver and your images covered with gold;^(bp) you will throw them away like a menstrual^(bq) cloth and say to them, "Away with you!^(br)"

He will also send you rain^(bs) for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich^(bt) and plentiful.^(bu) In that day^(bv) your cattle will graze in broad meadows.^(bw)

The oxen^(bx) and donkeys that work the soil will eat fodder^(by) and mash, spread out with fork^(bz) and shovel.

In the day of great slaughter,^(ca) when the towers^(cb) fall, streams of water will flow^(cc) on every high mountain and every lofty hill.

The moon will shine like the sun,^(cd) and the sunlight will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the Lord binds up the bruises of his people and heals^(ce) the wounds he inflicted.

See, the Name^(cf) of the Lord comes from afar, with burning anger^(cg) and dense clouds of smoke; his lips are full of wrath,^(ch) and his tongue is a consuming fire.^(ci)

His breath^(cj) is like a rushing torrent,^(ck) rising up to the neck.^(cl) He shakes the nations in the sieve^(cm) of destruction; he places in the jaws of the peoples a bit^(cn) that leads them astray.

And you will sing as on the night you celebrate a holy festival;^(co) your hearts will rejoice^(cp) as when people playing pipes^(cq) go up to the mountain^(cr) of the Lord , to the Rock^(cs) of Israel.

The Lord will cause people to hear his majestic voice^(ct) and will make them see his arm^(cu) coming down with raging anger^(cv) and consuming fire,^(cw) with cloudburst, thunderstorm^(cx) and hail.^(cy)

The voice of the Lord will shatter Assyria;^(cz) with his rod he will strike^(da) them down.

Every stroke the Lord lays on them with his punishing club^(db) will be to the music of timbrels^(dc) and harps, as he fights them in battle with the blows of his arm.^(dd)

Topheth^(de) has long been prepared; it has been made ready for the king. Its fire pit has been made deep and wide, with an abundance of fire and wood; the breath^(df) of the Lord , like a stream of burning sulfur,^(dg) sets it ablaze.^(dh)

Woe^(a) to those who go down to Egypt^(b) for help, who rely on horses,^(c) who trust in the multitude of their chariots^(d) and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One^(e) of Israel, or seek help from the Lord .^(f)

Yet he too is wise^(g) and can bring disaster;^(h) he does not take back his words.⁽ⁱ⁾ He will rise up against that wicked nation,^(j) against those who help evildoers.

But the Egyptians^(k) are mere mortals and not God;^(l) their horses^(m) are flesh and not spirit. When the Lord stretches out his hand,⁽ⁿ⁾ those who help will stumble, those who are helped^(o) will fall; all will perish together.^(p)

This is what the Lord says to me: "As a lion^(q) growls, a great lion over its prey— and though a whole band of shepherds^(r) is called together against it, it is not frightened by their shouts or disturbed by their clamor^(s)— so the Lord Almighty will come down^(t) to do battle on Mount Zion and on its heights.

Like birds hovering^(u) overhead, the Lord Almighty will shield^(v) Jerusalem; he will shield it and deliver^(w) it, he will ‘pass over'^(x) it and will rescue it."

Return,^(y) you Israelites, to the One you have so greatly revolted^(z) against.

For in that day^(aa) every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold^(ab) your sinful hands have made.^(ac)

"Assyria^(ad) will fall by no human sword; a sword, not of mortals, will devour^(ae) them. They will flee before the sword and their young men will be put to forced labor.^(af)

Their stronghold^(ag) will fall because of terror; at the sight of the battle standard^(ah) their commanders will panic,^(ai)" declares the Lord , whose fire^(aj) is in Zion, whose furnace^(ak) is in Jerusalem.