Study Desk

Therefore, ^(x)hear the word of the Lord , O ^(y)scoffers, Who rule this people who are in Jerusalem,

Because you have said, "We have made a ^(z)covenant with death, And with ^[k]Sheol we have made a ^[l]pact. ^(aa)The overwhelming ^[m]scourge will not reach us when it passes by, For we have made ^(ab)falsehood our refuge and we have ^(ac)concealed ourselves with deception."

Therefore thus says the Lord ^[n] God , "^(ad)Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested ^(ae)stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, ^[o]firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be ^[p]disturbed.

"I will make ^(af)justice the measuring line And righteousness the level; Then ^(ag)hail will sweep away the refuge of lies And the waters will overflow the secret place.

"Your ^(ah)covenant with death will be ^[q](ai)canceled, And your pact with Sheol will not stand; When the ^(aj)overwhelming scourge passes through, Then you become its ^(ak)trampling place.

"As ^(al)often as it passes through, it will ^[r]seize you; For ^(am)morning after morning it will pass through, anytime during the day or night, And it will be ^[s]sheer ^(an)terror to understand ^[t]what it means."

The bed is too short on which to stretch out, And the ^(ao)blanket is too ^[u]small to wrap oneself in.

For the Lord will rise up as at Mount ^(ap)Perazim, He will be stirred up as in the valley of ^(aq)Gibeon, To do His ^(ar)task, His ^[v](as)unusual task, And to work His work, His ^[w]extraordinary work.

And now do not carry on as ^(at)scoffers, Or your fetters will be made stronger; For I have heard from the Lord ^[x] God of hosts Of decisive ^(au)destruction on all the earth.