Study Desk

They seeke me, that hitherto haue not asked for me, they finde me, that hitherto haue not sought me: I haue saide, I am here, I am here, I am founde of a people that neuer called vpon my name.

For thus long haue I euer holden out mine handes to an vnfaythfull people that go not the right way, but after their owne imagination:

To a people that is euer defiyng me to my face, they make their oblations in gardens, and their smoke vpon aulters of bricke.

They lurke among the groues, and lye in the dennes all night: they eate swines fleshe, and vncleane broth is in their vessels.

If thou commest nye them, they say, touche me not, for I am holyer then thou: All these men when I am angry, shalbe turned to smoke and fire that shall burne for euer.

Beholde, it is written before my face, and shall not be forgotten, but recompenced: I shall rewarde it them into their bosome.

[I meane] your misdeedes, and the misdeedes of your fathers together saith the Lord, which haue made their smokes vpon the mountaines, and blasphemed me vpon the hilles: therefore wyll I measure their olde deedes into their bosome agayne.

Moreouer, thus saith the Lord: Like as when newe wine is founde in the cluster, and one saith, Lose it not, for there is blessing therein: euen so wyll I do also for my seruauntes sakes, that I wyll not destroy them all.

But I will take a seede out of Iacob, and out of Iuda one, to take possession of my hill: My chosen shall possesse it, and my seruauntes shall dwell there.

Saron shalbe a sheepefolde, and the valley of Achor shall geue the stalling for the cattell of my people that seeke after me.

But as for you, ye are they that haue forsaken the Lorde, and forgotten my holy hyll: ye haue set vp an aulter vnto Iupiter, and geuen riche drinke offeringes vnto the planets:

Therfore wyll I number you to the sworde, that ye shalbe destroyed altogether: for that when I called, no man gaue me aunswere, when I spake, ye hearkened not vnto me, but dyd wickednesse before mine eyes, and chose the thinges that pleased me not.

Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Beholde, my seruauntes shall eate, but ye shall haue hunger: beholde, my seruauntes shall drinke, but ye shall suffer thirst: beholde, my seruauntes shalbe merie, but ye shalbe confounded:

Beholde, my seruauntes shall reioyce for very quietnesse of heart: but ye shal crye for sorowe of heart, and complaine for vexation of minde.

Your name shall ye leaue accursed among my chosen: for God the Lorde shall slay you, and call his seruauntes by another name.

Who so reioyceth vpon earth, shall reioyce in the true God, and who so sweareth vpon earth, shall sweare in the true God: for the olde afflictions shalbe forgotten, and taken away out of my sight.

For lo, I shall make a newe heauen and a newe earth: and as for the olde, they shall neuer be thought vpon, nor kept in minde:

[But the Lorde saith] Be glad and euermore reioyce for the things that I shall do: For why? beholde, I shall make a ioyfull Hierusalem, and his people ioyfull.

Yea, I my selfe will reioyce with Hierusalem, and be glad with my people: and the voyce of weeping and wayling shall not be hearde in her from thencefoorth.

There shall neither be chylde nor olde man that haue not their full dayes: but when the chylde commeth to an hundred yeres olde it shal dye, and if he that is an hundred yeres of age do wrong, he shalbe cursed.

They shall buylde houses and dwell in them, they shall plant vineyardes and eate the fruite of them.

They shall not buylde and another possesse, they shall not plant and another eate: but the life of my people shalbe like a tree, and mine elect shall enioy styll the worke of their handes.

They shall not labour in vayne, nor beget with trouble: for they are the hye blessed seede of the Lorde, and their fruites with them.

And it shalbe, that or euer they call, I shall aunswere them, whyle they are yet but thinking howe to speake, I shal heare them.

The woolfe and the lambe shal feede together, and the lion shall eate hay like the bullocke, but earth shalbe the serpentes meate: There shal no man hurt nor slay another in al my holy hill, saith the Lorde.