Study Desk

Concerning the Ammonites:^(a) This is what the Lord says: "Has Israel no sons? Has Israel no heir? Why then has Molek^[a](b) taken possession of Gad?^(c) Why do his people live in its towns?

But the days are coming," declares the Lord , "when I will sound the battle cry^(d) against Rabbah^(e) of the Ammonites; it will become a mound of ruins,^(f) and its surrounding villages will be set on fire. Then Israel will drive out those who drove her out,^(g)" says the Lord .

"Wail, Heshbon,^(h) for Ai⁽ⁱ⁾ is destroyed! Cry out, you inhabitants of Rabbah! Put on sackcloth^(j) and mourn; rush here and there inside the walls, for Molek^(k) will go into exile,^(l) together with his priests and officials.

Why do you boast of your valleys, boast of your valleys so fruitful? Unfaithful Daughter Ammon,^(m) you trust in your riches⁽ⁿ⁾ and say, ‘Who will attack me?'^(o)

I will bring terror on you from all those around you," declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty. "Every one of you will be driven away, and no one will gather the fugitives.^(p)

"Yet afterward, I will restore^(q) the fortunes of the Ammonites," declares the Lord .

Concerning Edom:^(t) This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?^(u) Has counsel perished from the prudent? Has their wisdom decayed?

Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,^(v) you who live in Dedan,^(w) for I will bring disaster on Esau at the time when I punish him.

If grape pickers came to you, would they not leave a few grapes? If thieves came during the night, would they not steal only as much as they wanted?

But I will strip Esau bare; I will uncover his hiding places,^(x) so that he cannot conceal himself. His armed men are destroyed, also his allies and neighbors, so there is no one^(y) to say,

‘Leave your fatherless children;^(z) I will keep them alive. Your widows^(aa) too can depend on me.'"

This is what the Lord says: "If those who do not deserve to drink the cup^(ab) must drink it, why should you go unpunished?^(ac) You will not go unpunished, but must drink it.

I swear^(ad) by myself," declares the Lord , "that Bozrah^(ae) will become a ruin and a curse,^[b] an object of horror^(af) and reproach;^(ag) and all its towns will be in ruins forever."^(ah)

I have heard a message from the Lord ; an envoy was sent to the nations to say, "Assemble yourselves to attack it! Rise up for battle!"

"Now I will make you small among the nations, despised by mankind.

The terror you inspire and the pride^(ai) of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks,^(aj) who occupy the heights of the hill. Though you build your nest^(ak) as high as the eagle's, from there I will bring you down," declares the Lord .

"Edom will become an object of horror;^(al) all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff because of all its wounds.^(am)

As Sodom^(an) and Gomorrah^(ao) were overthrown, along with their neighboring towns," says the Lord , "so no one will live there; no people will dwell^(ap) in it.

"Like a lion^(aq) coming up from Jordan's thickets^(ar) to a rich pastureland, I will chase Edom from its land in an instant. Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this? Who is like^(as) me and who can challenge me?^(at) And what shepherd^(au) can stand against me?"

Therefore, hear what the Lord has planned against Edom,^(av) what he has purposed^(aw) against those who live in Teman:^(ax) The young of the flock^(ay) will be dragged away; their pasture will be appalled at their fate.^(az)

At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble;^(ba) their cry^(bb) will resound to the Red Sea.^[c]

Look! An eagle will soar and swoop^(bc) down, spreading its wings over Bozrah.^(bd) In that day the hearts of Edom's warriors^(be) will be like the heart of a woman in labor.^(bf)

Concerning Damascus:^(bg) "Hamath^(bh) and Arpad^(bi) are dismayed, for they have heard bad news. They are disheartened, troubled like^[d] the restless sea.^(bj)

Damascus has become feeble, she has turned to flee and panic has gripped her; anguish and pain have seized her, pain like that of a woman in labor.^(bk)

Why has the city of renown not been abandoned, the town in which I delight?

Surely, her young men^(bl) will fall in the streets; all her soldiers will be silenced^(bm) in that day," declares the Lord Almighty.

"I will set fire^(bn) to the walls of Damascus;^(bo) it will consume^(bp) the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.^(bq)"

Concerning Kedar^(br) and the kingdoms of Hazor,^(bs) which Nebuchadnezzar^(bt) king of Babylon attacked: This is what the Lord says: "Arise, and attack Kedar and destroy the people of the East.^(bu)

Their tents and their flocks^(bv) will be taken; their shelters will be carried off with all their goods and camels. People will shout to them, ‘Terror^(bw) on every side!'

"Flee quickly away! Stay in deep caves,^(bx) you who live in Hazor,^(by)" declares the Lord . "Nebuchadnezzar^(bz) king of Babylon has plotted against you; he has devised a plan against you.

"Arise and attack a nation at ease, which lives in confidence," declares the Lord , "a nation that has neither gates nor bars;^(ca) its people live far from danger.

Their camels^(cb) will become plunder, and their large herds^(cc) will be spoils of war. I will scatter to the winds^(cd) those who are in distant places^[e](ce) and will bring disaster on them from every side," declares the Lord .

"Hazor^(cf) will become a haunt of jackals,^(cg) a desolate^(ch) place forever. No one will live there; no people will dwell^(ci) in it."

This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam,^(cj) early in the reign of Zedekiah^(ck) king of Judah:

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "See, I will break the bow^(cl) of Elam, the mainstay of their might.

I will bring against Elam the four winds^(cm) from the four quarters of heaven;^(cn) I will scatter them to the four winds, and there will not be a nation where Elam's exiles do not go.

I will shatter Elam before their foes, before those who want to kill them; I will bring disaster on them, even my fierce anger,"^(co) declares the Lord . "I will pursue them with the sword^(cp) until I have made an end of them.

I will set my throne in Elam and destroy her king and officials," declares the Lord .

"Yet I will restore^(cq) the fortunes of Elam in days to come," declares the Lord .

A Linen Belt

This is what the Lord said to me: "Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water."

So I bought a belt, as the Lord directed, and put it around my waist.

Then the word of the Lord came to me a second time:^(a)

"Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath^[a](b) and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks."

So I went and hid it at Perath, as the Lord told me.^(c)

Many days later the Lord said to me, "Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there."

So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.

Then the word of the Lord came to me:

"This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride^(d) of Jerusalem.

These wicked people, who refuse to listen^(e) to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts^(f) and go after other gods^(g) to serve and worship them,^(h) will be like this belt—completely useless!⁽ⁱ⁾

For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,' declares the Lord , ‘to be my people for my renown^(j) and praise and honor.^(k) But they have not listened.'^(l)

"Say to them: ‘This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.' And if they say to you, ‘Don't we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?'

then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am going to fill with drunkenness^(m) all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David's throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem.

I will smash them one against the other, parents and children alike, declares the Lord . I will allow no pity⁽ⁿ⁾ or mercy or compassion^(o) to keep me from destroying^(p) them.'"

Hear and pay attention, do not be arrogant, for the Lord has spoken.^(q)

Give glory^(r) to the Lord your God before he brings the darkness, before your feet stumble^(s) on the darkening hills. You hope for light, but he will turn it to utter darkness and change it to deep gloom.^(t)

If you do not listen,^(u) I will weep in secret because of your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly, overflowing with tears,^(v) because the Lord 's flock^(w) will be taken captive.^(x)

Say to the king^(y) and to the queen mother,^(z) "Come down from your thrones, for your glorious crowns^(aa) will fall from your heads."

The cities in the Negev will be shut up, and there will be no one to open them. All Judah^(ab) will be carried into exile, carried completely away.

Look up and see those who are coming from the north.^(ac) Where is the flock^(ad) that was entrusted to you, the sheep of which you boasted?

What will you say when the Lord sets over you those you cultivated as your special allies?^(ae) Will not pain grip you like that of a woman in labor?^(af)

And if you ask yourself, "Why has this happened to me?"^(ag)— it is because of your many sins^(ah) that your skirts have been torn off^(ai) and your body mistreated.^(aj)

Can an Ethiopian^[b] change his skin or a leopard its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil.^(ak)

"I will scatter you like chaff^(al) driven by the desert wind.^(am)

This is your lot, the portion^(an) I have decreed for you," declares the Lord , "because you have forgotten^(ao) me and trusted in false gods.^(ap)

I will pull up your skirts over your face that your shame may be seen^(aq)—

your adulteries and lustful neighings, your shameless prostitution!^(ar) I have seen your detestable acts on the hills and in the fields.^(as) Woe to you, Jerusalem! How long will you be unclean?"^(at)

Judgment Against Wicked Kings

This is what the Lord says: "Go down to the palace of the king^(a) of Judah and proclaim this message there:

‘Hear^(b) the word of the Lord to you, king of Judah, you who sit on David's throne^(c)—you, your officials and your people who come through these gates.^(d)

This is what the Lord says: Do what is just^(e) and right. Rescue from the hand of the oppressor^(f) the one who has been robbed. Do no wrong or violence to the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow,^(g) and do not shed innocent blood^(h) in this place.

For if you are careful to carry out these commands, then kings⁽ⁱ⁾ who sit on David's throne will come through the gates of this palace, riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by their officials and their people.

But if you do not obey^(j) these commands, declares the Lord , I swear^(k) by myself that this palace will become a ruin.'"

For this is what the Lord says about the palace of the king of Judah: "Though you are like Gilead^(l) to me, like the summit of Lebanon,^(m) I will surely make you like a wasteland,⁽ⁿ⁾ like towns not inhabited.

I will send destroyers^(o) against you, each man with his weapons, and they will cut^(p) up your fine cedar beams and throw them into the fire.^(q)

"People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?'^(r)

And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshiped and served other gods.^(s)'"

Do not weep for the dead^(t) king or mourn^(u) his loss; rather, weep bitterly for him who is exiled, because he will never return^(v) nor see his native land again.

For this is what the Lord says about Shallum^[a](w) son of Josiah, who succeeded his father as king of Judah but has gone from this place: "He will never return.

He will die^(x) in the place where they have led him captive; he will not see this land again."

"Woe^(y) to him who builds^(z) his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his own people work for nothing, not paying^(aa) them for their labor.

He says, ‘I will build myself a great palace^(ab) with spacious upper rooms.' So he makes large windows in it, panels it with cedar^(ac) and decorates it in red.^(ad)

"Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar? Did not your father have food and drink? He did what was right and just,^(ae) so all went well^(af) with him.

He defended the cause of the poor and needy,^(ag) and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know^(ah) me?" declares the Lord .

"But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,^(ai) on shedding innocent blood^(aj) and on oppression and extortion."^(ak)

Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah: "They will not mourn^(al) for him: ‘Alas, my brother! Alas, my sister!' They will not mourn for him: ‘Alas, my master! Alas, his splendor!'

He will have the burial^(am) of a donkey— dragged away and thrown^(an) outside the gates of Jerusalem."

"Go up to Lebanon and cry out,^(ao) let your voice be heard in Bashan,^(ap) cry out from Abarim,^(aq) for all your allies^(ar) are crushed.

I warned you when you felt secure,^(as) but you said, ‘I will not listen!' This has been your way from your youth;^(at) you have not obeyed^(au) me.

The wind^(av) will drive all your shepherds^(aw) away, and your allies^(ax) will go into exile. Then you will be ashamed and disgraced^(ay) because of all your wickedness.

You who live in ‘Lebanon,^[b](az)' who are nestled in cedar buildings, how you will groan when pangs come upon you, pain^(ba) like that of a woman in labor!

"As surely as I live," declares the Lord , "even if you, Jehoiachin^[c](bb) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, were a signet ring^(bc) on my right hand, I would still pull you off.

I will deliver^(bd) you into the hands of those who want to kill you, those you fear—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and the Babylonians.^[d]

I will hurl^(be) you and the mother^(bf) who gave you birth into another country, where neither of you was born, and there you both will die.

You will never come back to the land you long to return^(bg) to."

Is this man Jehoiachin^(bh) a despised, broken pot,^(bi) an object no one wants? Why will he and his children be hurled^(bj) out, cast into a land^(bk) they do not know?

O land,^(bl) land, land, hear the word of the Lord !

This is what the Lord says: "Record this man as if childless,^(bm) a man who will not prosper^(bn) in his lifetime, for none of his offspring^(bo) will prosper, none will sit on the throne^(bp) of David or rule anymore in Judah."