Study Desk

Woe to those who are carefree in Zion, And to those who feel secure on the mountain of Samaria, The dignitaries of the foremost of nations, To whom the house of Israel comes.

Woe to them that are at ease in Zion, and trust in the mountain of Samaria, which are named chief of the nations, to whom the house of Israel came!

Go over to Calneh and look, And go from there to Hamath the great, Then go down to Gath of the Philistines. Are they better than these kingdoms, Or is their territory greater than yours?

Pass ye unto Calneh, and see; and from thence go ye to Hamath the great: then go down to Gath of the Philistines: be they better than these kingdoms? or their border greater than your border?

Are you postponing the day of disaster, And would you bring near the seat of violence?

Ye that put far away the evil day, and cause the seat of violence to come near;

Those who lie on beds of ivory, And lounge around on their couches, And eat lambs from the flock, And calves from the midst of the fattened cattle,

That lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs out of the flock, and the calves out of the midst of the stall;

Who improvise to the sound of the harp, And like David have composed songs for themselves,

That chant to the sound of the viol, and invent to themselves instruments of musick, like David;

Who drink wine from sacred bowls While they anoint themselves with the finest of oils— Yet they have not grieved over the collapse of Joseph.

That drink wine in bowls, and anoint themselves with the chief ointments: but they are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph.

Therefore, they will now go into exile at the head of the exiles, And the revelry of those who lounge around will come to an end.

Therefore now shall they go captive with the first that go captive, and the banquet of them that stretched themselves shall be removed.