Jeremiah 8 Cross References - ISV

¹ “At that time,” declares the LORD, “the bones of the king of Judah, the bones of his officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the residents of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves. ² They’ll be spread out to the sun, the moon, and all the stars of the heavens, which they loved and served, and which they followed, consulted, and worshipped. Their bones won’t be collected, nor will they be buried. They’ll be like dung on the surface of the ground.
³ “In all the places where the people remain, where I’ve banished them, death will be chosen over life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family,” declares the LORD of the Heavenly Armies.
⁴ A Stubborn People“You are to say to them, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Will a person fall down and then not get up? Will someone turn away and then not turn back again? ⁵ Why has this people turned away? Why does Jerusalem continue in apostasy? They hold on to deceit and refuse to repent. ⁶ I’ve listened and I’ve heard, and what they say is not right. No one repents of his evil and says, ‘What have I done?’ “They all turn to their own course like a horse racing into battle. ⁷ Even the stork in the sky knows its seasons, and the dove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time for migration. But my people don’t know the requirements of the LORD. ⁸ How can you say, ‘We’re wise, and the Law of the LORD is with us,’ when, in fact, the deceitful pen of the scribe has made it into something that deceives. ⁹ The wise men will be put to shame. They’ll be dismayed and taken captive. Look, they have rejected the message from the LORD! So what kind of wisdom do they have? ¹⁰ Therefore, I’ll give their wives to others, and their fields to new owners. Indeed, from the least important to the most important, they’re all greedy for dishonest gain. From prophet to priest, they all act deceitfully. ¹¹ They have treated my people’s wound superficially, telling them, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace. ¹² Are they ashamed because they have done what is repugnant to God? They weren’t ashamed at all; they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore they’ll fall with those who fall. When I punish them, they’ll be brought down,” says the LORD. ¹³ “I would have gathered them,” declares the LORD, “but there were no grapes on the vine, and no figs on the fig tree, and their leaves were withered. What I’ve given them has been taken away.”’”
¹⁴ The People RespondWhy are we sitting here? Join together! Let’s go to the fortified cities and perish there! For the LORD our God has condemned us to perish and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against him. ¹⁵ We waited for peace, but no good has come, for a time of healing, but instead there was terror.
¹⁶ The LORD’s Warning“The snorting of their horses is heard from Dan. At the neighing of their stallions, the whole earth quakes. They’re coming to devour the land and all it contains, the city and all who live in it. ¹⁷ Look, I’ll send snakes among you, vipers that cannot be charmed, and they’ll bite you.”
¹⁸ Jeremiah Mourns for His PeopleIncurable sorrow has overwhelmed me, my heart is sick within me. ¹⁹ Listen! My people cry from a distant land: “Is the LORD no longer in Zion? Is her king no longer there?”
The LORD Speaks “Why did they provoke me to anger with their images, with their worthless foreign gods?”
²⁰ The People SpeakThe harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we haven’t been delivered.
²¹ The Prophet MournsBecause my people are crushed, I’m crushed. I mourn, and dismay overwhelms me. ²² Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? So why is there no healing for my people?

² He cursed the altar in this message from the LORD: “Hey altar! Hey altar! This is what the LORD says: ‘Pay attention to this! A son is going to be born in David’s dynasty. His name will be Josiah. He will sacrifice the priests who burn incense on you in these high places. Human bones will be burned on you!’”

¹⁶ As Josiah turned around, he observed the graves located there on the mountain, so he sent for and recovered the bones from the graves and burned them on the altar to defile it, in keeping with the message from the LORD that the godly man had proclaimed when he was declaring these things.

²⁰ After he had slaughtered all the priests who served at the high places and burned their bones on those high places, he returned to Jerusalem.

⁴ They tore down the altars of Baals in his presence. He chopped down the incense altars that stood high above them. He broke into pieces the Asherim, the carved images, and the cast images, ground them to dust, and scattered the residue on the graves of those who had sacrificed to them. ⁵ He burned the bones of the priests on their altars, thus purging Judah and Jerusalem.

³² “Therefore, the time is near,” declares the LORD, “when it will no longer be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben-hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter. They’ll bury in Topheth because there is no other place to do it. ³³ The dead bodies of these people will be food for the birds of the sky and for the animals of the land, and no one will disturb them. ³⁴ In the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem I’ll bring an end to the sound of gladness and rejoicing, to the sounds of the bridegroom and bride, for the land will become a wasteland.”

⁵ I’ll place the corpses of the Israelis in front of their idols. I’ll scatter your bones around your altar.

¹ The Vision of the Valley of BonesThe LORD laid his hand on me and brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD to the middle of a valley that was filled with bones.

¹ A Warning to MoabThis is what the LORD says: “For three transgressions of Moab because they cremated the bones of the king of Edom, burning them to lime.

¹⁹ Do not gaze toward the heavens and observe the sun, the moon, the stars—the entire array of the sky—with the intent to worship and serve what the LORD your God gave every nation.

³ He may be following and serving other gods by bowing down to them—that is, to the sun, the moon, or to any of the heavenly host (something I did not command).

³⁶ So they returned and reported to Jehu, and he responded, “This fulfills this message from the LORD that he spoke through his servant Elijah the foreigner, who said: ‘Dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh on the property of Jezreel, ³⁷ and her corpse will lie like dung on the surface of the field on the property in Jezreel, but no one will say, “This is Jezebel.”’”

¹⁶ They abandoned all of the commands given by the LORD their God, crafted for themselves cast images of two calves, constructed an Asherah, worshipped all of the stars in heaven, and served Baal.

³ He rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed. He erected altars for Baal, crafted an Asherah, just as King Ahab of Israel had done, and worshipped and served the stars of heaven.

⁵ He built two altars to every star in the heavens in the two courts of the LORD’s Temple.

⁵ The king unseated the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had appointed to burn incense in the high places throughout the cities of Judah and in the environs surrounding Jerusalem, including those who had been burning incense to Baal, to the sun, to the moon, to the constellations, and to every star in the heavens.

³ The Sins of ManassehHe re-established the high places that his father Hezekiah had demolished, he built altars to the Baals, erected Asherim, and worshipped and served the armies of heaven. ⁴ He also built altars in the LORD’s Temple, about which the LORD had spoken “My name will reside in Jerusalem forever.” ⁵ He built altars for all the armies of heaven in the two courtyards of the LORD’s Temple.

¹⁰ They were destroyed at En-dor and became as dung on the ground.

³ A man might father a hundred children, and live for many years, so that the length of his life is long—but if his life does not overflow with goodness, and he doesn’t receive a proper burial, I maintain that stillborn children are better off than he is,

²² Speak! ‘This is what the LORD says: “The corpses of people will fall like dung on the surface of the field, and like a row of cut grain behind the harvester when there is no one to gather it.”’”

⁴ “They’ll die of deadly diseases. People won’t mourn for them, nor will they be buried. They’ll be dung on the surface of the ground, and they’ll come to an end with the sword and with famine. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and the animals of the land.”

¹³ The houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be polluted like Topheth, as will be all the houses on whose roofs people burned incense to all the host of heaven and poured out liquid offerings to other gods.”’”

¹⁹ He will receive a donkey’s burial, dragged out and thrown outside the gates of Jerusalem.”

³⁰ Therefore, this is what the LORD says concerning Jehoiakim, king of Judah, “He will have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his corpse will be thrown out to rot during the heat of the day and the frost of the night.

¹⁷ Rather, we will keep doing everything that we said we would by offering sacrifices to the Queen of Heaven and by pouring out liquid offerings to her just as we, our ancestors, our kings, and our leaders did in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. Then we had plenty of bread, things went well for us, and we didn’t experience disaster. ¹⁸ From the time we stopped offering sacrifices to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out liquid offerings to her, we have lacked everything, and we have been consumed by the sword and famine. ¹⁹ Indeed, we are going to continue offering sacrifices to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out liquid offerings to her. And do you think we have made cakes to represent her or poured out liquid offerings for her without our husbands’ approval?”

¹⁶ Sun Worship in the TempleThen he brought me to the inner court of the LORD’s Temple. There, at the entrance to the LORD’s Temple, between the porch and the altar, were 25 men, with their backs toward the LORD’s Temple and facing the east, prostrating themselves to the sun.

⁵ I’ll wipe out those who worship the stars that they view from their housetops, those who bow down and swear to the LORD and who also swear by Milcom,

¹⁷ “And I’ll bring so much distress to people that they will walk around like the blind. Because they have sinned against the LORD, their blood will be poured out like dust and their intestines will spill out like manure.

⁴² So God turned away from them and gave them over to worship the heavenly bodies. As it is written in the book of the Prophets: ‘O house of Israel, you didn’t offer me slaughtered animals and sacrifices those 40 years in the wilderness, did you?

¹ Restoration after the Exile“When all these things happen to you—both the blessings and the curses that I’ve presented to you—and you take them seriously in all the nations where the LORD your God will deport you,

⁴ Even if the LORD had banished you to the ends of the heavens, the LORD your God will gather you from there

⁴ and ran for a day’s journey deep into the wilderness. He found a juniper tree, sat down under it, and prayed that he could die. He asked God, “Enough! LORD! Take my life, because I’m not better than my ancestors!”

²⁰ “Why does God give light to the sufferer or life to the bitter person: ²¹ To those who are longing for death— even though it does not come? To those who search for it more than for hidden treasure? ²² To those who are happy beyond measure when they reach their graves?

¹⁵ I would rather die by strangulation than continue living. ¹⁶ I hate the thought of living forever! Leave me alone, because my days are pointless.”

¹⁴ Jeremiah Curses the Day of His BirthLet the day on which I was born be cursed. Don’t let the day on which my mother gave birth to me be blessed. ¹⁵ Cursed is the person who brought the good news to my father, “A baby boy has been born to you,” making him very happy. ¹⁶ May that man be like the cities that the LORD overthrew without compassion. Let him hear a cry in the morning, and a battle cry at noon, ¹⁷ because he didn’t kill me in the womb, so that my mother would have been my grave and her womb forever pregnant. ¹⁸ Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow, and to finish my life living in shame?

³ “I’ll gather the remnant of my flock from all the countries where I’ve driven them, and bring them back to their pasture where they’ll be fruitful and increase in numbers.

⁸ but they’ll say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives who brought the descendants of the Israelis from the land of the north and from all the lands where I had driven them and brought them into the land.’ Then they’ll live in their own land.”

¹⁴ I’ll be found by you,’ declares the LORD, ‘and I’ll restore your security and gather you from all the nations and all the places to which I’ve driven you,’ declares the LORD. ‘I’ll bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.’

²⁸ So he sent a message to us in Babylon: ‘The exile will be long, so build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce.’”’”

³⁶ A Promise of Restoration“Now therefore,” says the LORD God of Israel, “concerning this city about which you are saying, ‘It is being given into the control of the king of Babylon by sword, famine, and plague,’ ³⁷ I’m about to gather my people from all the lands where I’ve driven them in my anger, wrath, and great indignation. I’ll bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.

¹² So all the Judeans returned from all the countries where they had been scattered. They came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and they gathered wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

⁷ ‘To you, Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us, open humiliation—even to this day, to the men of Judah, the residents of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, both those who are nearby and those who are far away in all the lands to which you drove them because of their unfaithful acts that they committed against you.

³ Therefore, LORD, please kill me, because it’s better for me to die than to live!”

¹⁶ They told the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the lamb.

⁶ In those days people will seek death, but never find it. They will long to die, but death will escape them.

³⁸ whatever prayer or request is made, no matter whether it’s made by a single man or by all of your people Israel, each praying out of his own hurting heart and anguish and stretching out his hands toward this Temple,

¹⁶ for though a righteous man falls seven times, he will rise again, but the wicked stumble into calamity.

²² I’ve wiped away your transgressions like a cloud and your sins like mist. Return to me; because I’ve redeemed you.

⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous person his thoughts. Let him return to the LORD, So he’ll have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he’ll pardon abundantly.

¹ God Contemplates Divorcing Israel “When a man divorces his wife, she leaves him and becomes another man’s wife, will the first husband return to her again? The land would be deeply polluted, would it not? Since you have committed fornication with many lovers, would you now return to me?” declares the LORD.

²² God Calls for Repentance“Turn back, unfaithful people, and I’ll heal your unfaithfulness.”
Israel Replies “Look, we’re coming to you because you are the LORD our God.

¹ Instructions for True Repentance “Israel, if you return to me,” declares the LORD, “Return to me, remove your detestable idols from my presence, and don’t waver.

¹⁴ Among the prophets of Jerusalem I saw a horrible thing, for they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of those who do evil, so that no one repents of his evil. All of them are like Sodom to me, and her residents like Gomorrah.”

³ Perhaps the house of Judah will hear about all the calamity that I’m planning to bring on them, and so each of them will turn from his wicked way and I’ll forgive their iniquities and sins.”

²³ “I don’t take delight in the death of the wicked, do I?” asks the Lord GOD. “Shouldn’t I rather delight when he turns from his wicked ways and lives?

¹ A Call for Israel to Repent “Come, let us return to the LORD; even though he has torn us, he will heal us. Even though he has wounded us, he will bind our wounds.

¹⁰ Israel’s arrogance testifies against him; but they do not return to the LORD their God, nor seek him in all of this.

¹ A Call to Repentance “Return, Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have fallen due to your own iniquity.

² Fallen is Israel the virgin—never to rise again! She is abandoned on her own land, with no one to raise her up.’

⁸ Don’t be glad on my account, my enemy. When I fall, I’ll get up. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD is a light for me.

¹³ Hold on to instruction, do not let it go! Guard wisdom, because she is your life!

²⁰ but if you refuse and rebel, you’ll be devoured by the sword, because the LORD has spoken.”

¹⁰ They say to the seers, ‘Don’t see visions,’ and to the prophets, ‘Don’t give us visions of what is right! Instead, tell us welcome things, prophesy illusions,

²⁰ He tends ashes. A deceived mind has lead him astray. It cannot be his life, nor can he say, “There’s a lie in my right hand.”

³² Will a young woman forget her wedding ornaments, or a bride her attire? But my people have forgotten me days without number.

¹¹ A Call for RepentanceThen the LORD told me, “Unfaithful Israel has shown herself more righteous than treacherous Judah. ¹² Go, proclaim these words to the north, and say, ‘Return, unfaithful Israel,’ declares the LORD. ‘I won’t look on you in anger, for I am gracious,’ declares the LORD. ‘I won’t remain angry forever. ¹³ ‘Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have rebelled against the LORD your God, and have scattered your favors to strangers under every green tree. But you haven’t obeyed me,’ declares the LORD.
¹⁴ “Return, unfaithful people,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband. I’ll take you, one from a city and two from a family, and I’ll bring you to Zion.

³ The Prophet SpeaksLORD, don’t your eyes look for truth? You struck them, but they didn’t flinch. You brought them to an end, but they refused to receive discipline. They made their faces harder than stone, and they refused to repent.

²⁷ Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are filled with treachery. This is how they have become prominent and rich,

²⁴ But they didn’t listen, nor did they pay attention. They pursued their own plans, stubbornly following their own evil desires. They went backward and not forward. ²⁵ From the day your ancestors left the land of Egypt to this present time, I’ve sent all my servants, the prophets, to you, again and again. ²⁶ But they didn’t listen to me, and they didn’t pay attention. They stiffened their necks, and they did more evil than their ancestors.

⁶ You yourself live in the midst of deception, and because they are deceived they do not know me,” declares the LORD.

¹⁶ For Israel is as obstinate as a stubborn mule! Nevertheless, will not the LORD feed them like a lamb in a broad pasture?

⁷ My people are determined to turn away from me; though they call to the Most High, no one is worshiping.

¹¹ But they refused to pay attention, turned their backs, and stopped listening.

⁴⁰ But you are not willing to come to me to have life.

²¹ Instead, test everything. Hold on to what is good.

⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be accompanied by the power of Satan. He will use every kind of power, including miraculous signs, lying wonders, ¹⁰ and every type of evil to deceive those who are dying, those who refused to love the truth that would save them. ¹¹ For this reason, God will send them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie. ¹² Then all who have not believed the truth but have taken pleasure in unrighteousness will be condemned.

²⁵ See to it that you do not ignore the one who is speaking. For if the hearers did not escape when they ignored the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we turn away from the one who is from heaven!

²⁵ Just hold on to what you have until I come.

² I’ll say to God, ‘Don’t condemn me! Let me know why you are fighting me.

²⁷ The Song of the Ransomed“He’ll sing to mankind with these words: ‘I’ve sinned. I have twisted what is right. Yet he has not repaid me like I deserve. ²⁸ He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit; my life will see the light.’

¹⁹ On the HorseDo you instill the horse with strength? Do you clothe its neck with a mane? ²⁰ Can you make him leap like the locust, and make the splendor of his snorting terrifying? ²¹ He paws the ground in the valley and rejoices in his strength; he goes out to face weapons. ²² He scoffs at fear and is never scared; he never retreats from a sword. ²³ A quiver of arrows rattles against his side, along with a flashing spear and a lance. ²⁴ Leaping in his excitement, he takes in the ground; he cannot stand still when the trumpets sound! ²⁵ When the trumpet blasts he’ll neigh, ‘Aha! Aha!’ From a distance he can sense war, the war cry of generals, and their shouting.”

² The LORD looks down from the heavens upon humanity to see if anyone shows discernment as he searches for God.

¹⁸ Restoration is Promised to Israel“Nevertheless, the LORD will wait so he can be gracious to you; and thus he will rise up to show you mercy. For the LORD is a God of justice. How blessed are all those who wait for him.”

¹⁶ He saw that there was no one, and was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm brought him victory, and his righteous acts upheld him.

²⁴ a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her passion. When she’s in heat, who can turn her away? None of the males who pursue her need to tire themselves out, for in her month they’ll find her.” ²⁵ “Don’t run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you say, ‘It’s hopeless! Because I love foreign gods, I’ll go after them!’”

¹ A Dialogue about Righteousness: The LORD Speaks “Wander through the streets of Jerusalem. Look and investigate; search through her squares and see whether you find anyone— even one person there—doing justice and seeking truth. Then I’ll forgive them.

²⁸ Because he reconsidered his transgression and turned away from everything that he had been doing, he’ll certainly live and not die.

³⁰ I sought for a man among them to build the wall and stand in the breach in my presence on behalf of the land so that it won’t be destroyed, but I found no one,

² The faithful have died off, and there is not one upright human being in the land. They all stalk one another with lethal intent, a man will even hunt his own brother with a net.

⁵ Consequences of Not Rebuilding“Now this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, says: ‘Carefully consider your ways:

⁷ Command to Rebuild the Temple“This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: ‘Carefully consider your ways:

¹⁶ The Repentance of the RighteousThen those who feared the LORD talked with each other. The LORD listened and took note, and a scroll of remembrance was written in his presence about those who fear the LORD and honor His name.

¹⁷ “Then he came to his senses and said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more food than they can eat, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will get up, go to my father, and say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. ¹⁹ I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore. Treat me like one of your hired men.”’

⁹ The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some people understand slowness, but is being patient with you. He does not want anyone to perish, but wants everyone to repent.

²⁰ The rest of the people who survived these plagues did not repent from their evil actions or stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see, hear, or walk.

⁶ The Folly of LazinessGo to the ant, you lazy man! Observe its ways and become wise. ⁷ It has no commander, officer, or ruler, ⁸ but prepares its provisions in the summer and gathers its food in the harvest.

¹² Blossoms have appeared in the land. The season of songbirds has arrived, and cooing of turtledoves is heard in our land.

³ The ox knows its owner, and the donkey its master’s feeding trough, but Israel doesn’t know, and my people don’t understand.

¹² They have the lyre and harp, the tambourine and flute, as well as wine at their festivals, but they don’t respect what the LORD is doing, nor do they consider his actions.

⁴ Then I said, “These are only the poor, they’re foolish, for they don’t know the LORD’s way, the requirement of their God. ⁵ Let me go to the leaders and speak to them. For they know the LORD’s way, the requirement of their God.”
The LORD Answers “But they, all together, have broken the yoke and torn off the restraints.

¹² He frustrates the plans of the crafty; so that what they work for never succeeds. ¹³ He captures the wise in their own craftiness, bringing a quick end to their cunning advice.

¹² An empty-headed person will gain understanding when a wild donkey is born a human being!”

²⁰ He keeps reliable advisors from speaking, and removes discernment from elders.

¹⁹ He declares his words to Jacob, his statutes and decrees to Israel.

⁶ Grandchildren are the crown of the aged, and the pride of children is their parents.

¹ Judgment on Unjust Lawmakers “How terrible it will be for the one who enacts unjust decrees, for those who write oppressive laws that they have prescribed ² to deprive the needy of justice and to rob the poor of my people of their rights, so that widows may become their spoil and so that they may plunder orphans!

¹² I prescribed great things from my Law for them, but they considered them profane.

⁶ does not have to honor his father.’ Because of your tradition, then, you have disregarded the authority of God’s word.

⁴¹ Jesus told them, “If you were blind, you would not have any sin. But now that you insist, ‘We see,’ your sin still exists.”

²² Though claiming to be wise, they became fools

¹⁷ Who is a Jew?Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the Law, and boast about God, ¹⁸ and know his will, and approve of what is best because you have been instructed in the Law; ¹⁹ and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, ²⁰ an instructor of ignorant people, and a teacher of infants because you have the full content of knowledge and truth in the Law— ²¹ as you teach others, do you fail to teach yourself? As you preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² As you forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? As you abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ As you boast about the Law, do you dishonor God by breaking the Law? ²⁴ As it is written, “God’s name is being blasphemed among the gentiles because of you.”
²⁵ For circumcision is valuable if you observe the Law, but if you break the Law, your having been circumcised has no more value than if you were uncircumcised. ²⁶ So if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, his uncircumcision will be regarded as circumcision, won’t it? ²⁷ The man who is uncircumcised physically but who keeps the Law will condemn you who break the Law, even though you have the written Law and circumcision. ²⁸ For a person is not a Jew because of his appearance, nor is circumcision something just external and physical. ²⁹ No, a person is a Jew inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, brought about by the Spirit, not by a written law. That person’s praise will come from God, not from people.

¹⁸ True WisdomLet no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in the ways of this world, he must become a fool to become really wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is nonsense in God’s sight. For it is written, “He catches the wise with their own trickery,”
²⁰ and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are worthless.”

⁶ Observe them carefully, because this will show your wisdom and discernment in the eyes of people who’ll listen to all these decrees. Then they’ll say: ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people.’

¹² He frustrates the plans of the crafty; so that what they work for never succeeds.

⁷ God’s Revelation in the LawThe Law of the LORD is perfect, restoring life. The testimony of the LORD is steadfast, making foolish people wise.

⁹⁸ Your commands make me wiser than my adversaries, since they are always with me. ⁹⁹ I am more insightful than my teachers, because your decrees are my meditations. ¹⁰⁰ I have more common sense than the elders, for I observe your precepts.

²⁰ for instruction and for testimony? Surely they are speaking like this because the truth hasn’t dawned on them.

¹¹ A Rebuke to Egypt’s LeadersZoan’s princes are nothing but fools; the wisest advisors of Pharaoh give stupid advice. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I’m a descendant of wise men, a descendant of ancient kings”?

¹⁵ Were they ashamed because they did what was repugnant to God? They were not ashamed at all— they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore they’ll fall with those who fall. When I punish them, they’ll be brought down,” says the LORD.

¹⁹ Listen, earth! I’m about to bring calamity on this people, on the fruit of their plans, because they didn’t listen to my words and they rejected my instruction.

⁷ Prophecies against EdomTo Edom: This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: “Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished among the prudent? Is their wisdom gone?

²⁶ Disaster upon disaster will come, followed by rumor after rumor. They’ll seek an oracle from the prophet, but the Law will be gone from the priests, and counsel from the elders.

¹⁸ The Messiah is God’s Power and WisdomFor the message about the cross is nonsense to those who are being destroyed, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved. ¹⁹ For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the intelligence of the intelligent I will reject.”
²⁰ Where is the wise person? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? God has turned the wisdom of the world into nonsense, hasn’t he? ²¹ For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom did not know God, God was pleased to save those who believe through the nonsense of our preaching. ²² Jews ask for signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach the Messiah crucified. He is a stumbling block to Jews and nonsense to gentiles, ²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, the Messiah is God’s power and God’s wisdom. ²⁵ For God’s nonsense is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
²⁶ Brothers, think about your own calling. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose what is nonsense in the world to make the wise feel ashamed. God chose what is weak in the world to make the strong feel ashamed. ²⁸ And God chose what is insignificant in the world, what is despised, what is nothing, in order to destroy what is something, ²⁹ so that no one may boast in God’s presence.

¹⁵ From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures that are able to give you the wisdom you need for salvation through faith in the Messiah Jesus.

³⁰ You’ll be engaged to a woman, but another man will rape her. You’ll build a house but you won’t live in it. You’ll plant a vineyard but you won’t harvest it. ³¹ Your ox will be slaughtered in front of you, and you won’t be able to eat it. Your donkey will be stolen from you while you watch and won’t be returned to you. Your flock of sheep will be handed to your enemies and there will be no deliverer. ³² Your sons and daughters will be given to another people while you watch, and you won’t be able to approach them at all, and you’ll be powerless to help.

⁷ These people also stagger from wine and reel from strong drink. Priests and prophets stagger from strong drink; they’re drunk from wine; they reel from strong drink, waver when seeing visions, and stumble when rendering decisions.

¹⁰ His watchmen are blind; they are all without knowledge. They are all dumb dogs— they cannot bark. They keep on dreaming and lying around, and they’re lovers of sleep! ¹¹ Meanwhile, the dogs have a mighty appetite— they can never get enough. And as for them, they are the shepherds who lack understanding; they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, each and every one. ¹² “‘Come!’ they say, ‘let’s have some wine, and let’s fill ourselves with strong drink! Then, tomorrow will be like today, or even much better!’”

³¹ The prophets prophesy falsely, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way. But what will you do in the end?”

¹² Their houses will be turned over to others— their fields and wives together— when I stretch out my hand against those who live in the land,” declares the LORD. ¹³ “Indeed, from the least important to the most important, they’re all greedy for dishonest gain. From prophet to priest, they all act deceitfully.

¹¹ Indeed, both priest and prophet are ungodly. Even in my house I find evil,” declares the LORD. ¹² Therefore their way will be slippery. They’ll be driven out into the darkness, where they’ll fall. For I’ll bring disaster on them, the year of their judgment,” declares the LORD. ¹³ “Among the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing, for they prophesied by Baal and led my people Israel astray. ¹⁴ Among the prophets of Jerusalem I saw a horrible thing, for they commit adultery and live a lie. They strengthen the hands of those who do evil, so that no one repents of his evil. All of them are like Sodom to me, and her residents like Gomorrah.”
¹⁵ Therefore, this is what the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies says about the prophets, “I’m about to make them eat wormwood and drink poisoned water, because godlessness has spread from the prophets of Jerusalem throughout the land.” ¹⁶ This is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says: “Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who are prophesying to you; they’re giving you false hopes. They declare visions from their own minds— they don’t come from the LORD! ¹⁷ They keep on saying to those who despise me, ‘The LORD has said, “You will have peace.”’ To all who stubbornly follow their own desires they say, ‘Disaster won’t come upon you.’

²⁵ “I’ve heard what the prophets who prophesy lies in my name have said: ‘I had a dream; I had a dream.’ ²⁶ How long will this go on? Is there anything in the hearts of the prophets who prophesy lies, and who prophesy from the deceit that is in their hearts?

³² because of all the evil that the Israelis and Judeans have done to provoke me. They, their kings, their officials, their priests, their prophets, the people of Judah, and those living in Jerusalem have done these things.

¹³ Due to the sins committed by her prophets, and the iniquities of her priests who shed in her midst, the blood of the righteous,

²⁷ Her princes within her are like wolves tearing their prey apart. They shed blood, destroying souls, and make unjust gain.
²⁸ “‘Her prophets whitewashed all of these things through false visions and lying divinations. They kept on saying, “This is what the Lord GOD says…”, when the LORD has not spoken.

³¹ Then they come to you as a group, sit down right in front of you as if they were my people, hear your words—and then they don’t do what you say— because they’re seeking only their own desires, they pursue ill-gotten profits, and they keep following their own self-interests.

¹¹ ‘Therefore, since you trample the poor continuously, taxing his grain, building houses of stone in which you won’t live and planting fine vineyards from which you won’t drink—

⁵ God’s Judgment against False Prophets“This is what the LORD says about the prophets who are causing my people to go astray, who are calling out ‘Peace’ when they’re being fed, but who declare war against those who won’t feed them:

¹¹ Her leaders judge for the money, her priests teach only when they’re paid, and her prophets prophesy for cash. Even so, don’t they all rely on the LORD as they ask, ‘The LORD is among us, is he not? Nothing bad can possibly happen to us!’

¹³ Therefore their possessions will be seized as plunder and their homes left in ruins. They may build houses, but they won’t live in them. They may plant vineyards, but they won’t drink their wine.”
Zephaniah’s Description of the Day of the LORD

⁷ Because an overseer is God’s servant manager, he must be blameless. He must not be arrogant or irritable. He must not drink too much, be a violent person, or make money in shameful ways.

¹¹ They must be silenced, because they are the kind of people who ruin whole families by teaching what they should not teach in order to make money in a shameful way.

¹ Warning against False TeachersNow there were false prophets among the people, just as there also will be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves. ² Many people will follow their immoral ways, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned. ³ In their greed they will exploit you with deceptive words. The ancient verdict against them is still in force, and their destruction is not delayed.

⁶ So the king of Israel called in about 400 prophets and asked them, “Should we go attack Ramoth-gilead, or should I call off the attack?”
“Go attack them,” they all said, “because the Lord will drop them right into the king’s hand!”

¹³ Micaiah Predicts Failure
Meanwhile, the messenger who had gone off to summon Micaiah advised him, “Look, everything that the other prophets were saying was unanimously favorable to the king. So please, cooperate with them and speak favorably.”

¹⁴ They treated my people’s wound superficially, telling them, ‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.

¹⁴ Then the LORD told me, “The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I didn’t send them, I didn’t command them, and I didn’t speak to them. They’re proclaiming to you false visions, worthless predictions, and the delusions of their own minds. ¹⁵ Therefore, this is what the LORD says about the false prophets who prophesy in my name, ‘There will be no sword and famine in this land’ (though I haven’t sent them): ‘By the sword and by famine these prophets will be finished off!

⁹ You aren’t to listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your soothsayers, and your sorcerers who say to you, ‘Don’t serve the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰ They’re prophesying a lie to you in order to remove you far away from your land. I’ll drive you out and you will perish.

³ and within two years I’ll bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD’s Temple that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took from this place and carried to Babylon. ⁴ I’ll bring back Jehoiakim’s son Jeconiah, king of Judah, and all the exiles of Judah who went to Babylon to this place,’ declares the LORD, ‘for I’ll break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”
⁵ The prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in front of the priests and all the people who were standing in the LORD’s Temple. ⁶ The prophet Jeremiah said, “May the LORD truly do this thing! May the LORD fulfill the words that you prophesied to bring back the vessels of the LORD’s Temple and all the exiles from Babylon to this place. ⁷ But please listen to what I’m saying in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. ⁸ The prophets who came before us from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and plague against many lands and great kingdoms. ⁹ When a prophet prophesies peace, and what the prophet speaks comes about, he will be known as the prophet whom the LORD has truly sent.”

¹⁴ Your prophets look on your behalf; they see false and deceptive visions. They did not expose your sins in order to restore what had been captured. Instead, they crafted oracles for you that are false and misleading.

¹⁰ because they’ve truly caused my people to stray saying, “Peace,” but there’s no peace.’”
Metaphor of the Whitewashed Wall“When someone builds a wall, they coat it with whitewash. ¹¹ Tell those who coat it with whitewash that it will fall. It will be washed off by the rain. Great hailstones will fall and a stormy wind will strip it off. ¹² Look! When the wall collapses, won’t it be said of you, ‘Where’s the coat of paint that you spread all over the wall?’
¹³ “Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says, ‘In my burning anger, I’ll rip it open with a windstorm. In my anger, I’ll rinse it off with rain, and put an end to it with a hailstorm in my destructive rage. ¹⁴ I’ll tear down the wall that you’ve smeared with whitewash, level it to the ground, and tear out its foundation. Then it will collapse—and you’ll perish with it! Then you’ll know that I am the LORD.
¹⁵ “‘That’s how I’ll vent my anger on the wall and on the ones who coated it with whitewash. And I’ll say to you, “The wall is gone and so are those who coated it.” ¹⁶ The prophets of Israel prophesied about Jerusalem and saw visions of peace concerning her, yet there’s no peace,’” declares the Lord GOD.

²² “‘“Because you’ve dismayed the heart of the righteous—whom I never intended to dismay—with lies, and because you’ve encouraged the wicked so that he wouldn’t abandon his evil behavior and by doing so live,

¹¹ Suppose a man who keeps company with a deceiving spirit prophesies like this: ‘Drink wine and strong drink!’ Won’t the people accept him as a prophet?”

³⁵ To me belong vengeance and recompense. In due time their feet will slip, because their time of calamity is near and the things prepared for them draw near.

¹ To the Director: A Davidic instruction about Doeg, the Edomite, when he went to Saul and told him, “David went to the house of Abimelech.”
A Rebuke to the Deceitful Why do you make evil the foundation of your boasting, mighty one? God’s gracious love never ceases.

⁷ “Look, here is a young man who refused to make God his strength; instead, he trusted in his great wealth and made his wickedness his strength.

⁹ “The expressions on their faces give them away. They parade their sin around like Sodom; they don’t even try to hide it. How horrible it will be for them, because they have brought disaster on themselves!”

¹³ Judgment for Not Repenting“But the people have not returned to rely on him who struck them, nor have they sought the LORD of the Heavenly Armies. ¹⁴ So the LORD has cut off from Israel head and tail, palm branch and reed in a single day— ¹⁵ the elder and the dignitary is the head, and the prophet who teaches lies is the tail. ¹⁶ For those who guide this people have been leading them astray, and those who are guided by them are swallowed up. ¹⁷ Therefore the Lord does not have pity on their young men, and has no compassion on their orphans and widows, because each of them was godless and an evildoer, and every mouth spoke folly. “Yet for all this, his anger has not turned away, and his hand is still stretched out, ready to strike.

² It will be the same for the lay people as for priests, the same for servants as for their masters, for female servants as for their mistresses, for buyers as for sellers, for lenders as for borrowers, and for creditors as for debtors.

³ This is why the rain has been withheld and there are no spring showers. Yet you have a harlot’s look and you refuse to be ashamed.

²⁵ There’s a conspiracy of prophets within her, and like a roaring lion tearing its prey, they’ve devoured people, and confiscated treasures, and taken precious things. They’ve added to the population of widows within her. ²⁶ Her priests have violated my Law and profaned my sacred things. They didn’t differentiate between what’s sacred and what’s common. They didn’t instruct others to discern clean from unclean things. They refused to keep my Sabbaths.
“‘I’m constantly being profaned among them. ²⁷ Her princes within her are like wolves tearing their prey apart. They shed blood, destroying souls, and make unjust gain.
²⁸ “‘Her prophets whitewashed all of these things through false visions and lying divinations. They kept on saying, “This is what the Lord GOD says…”, when the LORD has not spoken. ²⁹ The people of the land were vigorously oppressive and took possession of plunder by violence. They’ve afflicted the poor and the needy and unjustly treated the foreigner. ³⁰ I sought for a man among them to build the wall and stand in the breach in my presence on behalf of the land so that it won’t be destroyed, but I found no one, ³¹ so I poured my indignation over them. With my fierce anger, I’ve consumed them. I brought the consequences of their behavior upon them,’ declares the Lord GOD.”

⁵ So you will stumble during the day, the prophet also will stumble with you at night, and I will destroy your mother. ⁶ My people are destroyed because they lack knowledge of me. Because you rejected that knowledge, I will reject you as a priest for me. Since you forget the Law of your God, I will also forget your children.

⁹ Ephraim will be desolate when it is rebuked. I have made known among the tribes of Israel what will surely come about.

⁵ The righteous LORD who lives within her will do no wrong; he will bring justice to light morning by morning. He never fails, but the unjust are shameless.
The Integrity of God’s Justice

¹⁹ Their destiny is destruction, their god is their belly, and their glory is in their shame. Their minds are set on worldly things.

²⁰ Your strength will be spent in vain, because your land won’t yield its produce and the trees of the land won’t yield their fruit.

³⁹ You’ll plant a vineyard, but you won’t drink wine or harvest any grapes, because worms will consume it. ⁴⁰ You’ll have olive trees throughout your territory, but you won’t be able to anoint yourself with oil, because the olives will drop off the trees. ⁴¹ You’ll bear sons and daughters, but they won’t belong to you, because they’ll go into captivity. ⁴² Whirling locusts will consume every tree and the produce of your land.

³ He will be like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding its fruit in its season, and whose leaf does not wither. He will prosper in everything he does. ⁴ But this is not the case with the wicked. They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

⁴ What more could I do in my vineyard, that I haven’t already done? When I expected it to produce good grapes, why did it yield wild ones? ⁵ “Now, let me tell you, won’t you please, what I’m going to do to my vineyard. “I’m going to take away its protective hedge, and it will be devoured; I’ll break down its wall, and it will be trampled. ⁶ I’ll make it a wasteland, and it won’t be pruned or cultivated. Instead, briers and thorns will grow up. I’ll also issue commands to the clouds, that they drop no rain upon it.”

¹⁰ For ten acres of vineyard will produce only one bath, and one omer of seed will produce only one ephah.”

²¹ “And it will come about at that time, the LORD will punish the armies of the exalted ones in the heavens, and the rulers of the earth on earth. ²² They will be herded together into the Pit; they will be shut up in prison, and after many days they will be punished.

¹⁷ “They’ll devour your harvest and your food. They’ll devour your sons and your daughters. They’ll devour your vines and your fig trees. With their swords they’ll batter down your fortified cities in which you trust.

⁸ He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by a stream. He won’t fear when the heat comes, and his leaves will be green. In a year of drought he won’t be concerned, nor will he stop producing fruit.”

¹⁹ Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says, ‘Because all of you have become dross, watch out! I’m going to gather all of you at the center of Jerusalem, ²⁰ just like a smelter gathers all the silver, bronze, lead, and tin to the center of a furnace and injects fire in order to melt it, I’m going to gather you in my anger and rage, make you settle down—and then I’m going to melt you down. ²¹ Indeed, I’m going to gather you together and exhale the fire of my fury, and then you’ll be melted from the inside out

³ So compose a parable for the rebellious house. Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord God says: “Prepare your pot for boiling! Set it in place. Fill it up with water, too. ⁴ Gather together the best pieces of meat on it— including the thighs and the shoulders— and fill it with the choicest bones. ⁵ Take the best bones from the flock, pile wood under the pot for the bones, bring it to a boil, and then cook the bones in it.”’”
⁶ Woe to Jerusalem“This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How terrible it is for that blood-filled city, to the pot whose rust remains in it, whose rust won’t come off. Empty it one piece at a time. Don’t let a lot fall on it. ⁷ Her blood was in it. She poured it out onto bare rock. She didn’t pour it out on the ground, intending to cover it with dirt. ⁸ In order to stir up my anger and in order to take vengeance, I set the blood on a bare rock so that it cannot be covered.’
⁹ “Therefore this is what the Lord GOD says: ‘How terrible it is for that blood-filled city— I’m also going to add to my pile of kindling. ¹⁰ Pile up the wood! Make the fire burn hot. Boil the meat! Mix the seasonings. Burn those bones to a crisp! ¹¹ Make the pot stand empty on the coals until its bronze glows red, its rust can be scoured off, and its dross completely removed.

⁸ She didn’t recognize that it was I who provided her grain, wine, and oil, and it was I who gave her silver, while they crafted gold for Baal. ⁹ “Therefore I’ll return and take back my grain at harvest time and my new wine in its season. I’ll take back my wool and my flax that was to have covered her nakedness.

⁷ That nation laid waste my vines, and stripped bare my fig tree, discarding it. It stripped off its bark.

¹⁰ The Coming Famine“The fields lie in ruins and the ground is dried up. Indeed, the grain is ruined, the new wine has evaporated, and the olive oil has run out. ¹¹ Be dismayed, you farmers! Cry aloud, you vintners, for the wheat and barley, because the harvest in your fields has been lost. ¹² The grapevine is shriveled and the fig tree is withered, along with the pomegranate tree, the palm tree, the apple tree and all of the cultivated trees. Truly, joy has evaporated from Adam’s children.”

¹⁷ Even though the fig tree does not blossom, and there are no grapes on the vines; even if the olive harvest fails, and the fields produce nothing edible; even if the flock is snatched from the sheepfold, and there is no herd in the stalls—

¹¹ I sent a drought on the land, on the mountains, on your grain, on your new wines, on your oil—on everything the ground produces—on men, on livestock, and on everything you do!’”

¹⁷ I punished you and everything that you undertook—with scorching wind, with mildew, and with hail, and you still did not return to me,’ declares the LORD.

¹⁹ Seeing a fig tree by the roadside, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. He told it, “May fruit never come from you again!” And immediately the fig tree dried up.

⁶ The Parable about an Unfruitful Fig TreeThen Jesus told them this parable: “A man had a fig tree that had been planted in his vineyard. He went to look for fruit on it but didn’t find any. ⁷ So he told the gardener, ‘Look here! For three years I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this tree but I haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it waste the soil?’ ⁸ But the gardener replied, ‘Sir, leave it alone for one more year, until I dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ Maybe next year it will bear fruit. If not, then cut it down.’”

¹¹ For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass. The flower in it drops off, and its beauty is gone. That is how the rich person will fade away in his pursuits.

³ Moses spoke with Aaron about what the LORD had said: “Among those who are near me, I’ll show myself holy so that I’ll be glorified before all people.” So Aaron remained silent.

¹⁸ The priest is to have the woman stand in the LORD’s presence, uncover her head, and put the grain offering as a memorial, a reminder of jealousy, into her hands. The priest is also to have in his hand the contaminated water that carries a curse.
¹⁹ “The priest is to administer this oath to the woman: ‘If indeed another man didn’t have sexual relations with you and you didn’t become unfaithful to your husband, then may you be free from these waters that bring a curse. ²⁰ But if you have become unfaithful to your husband and have become defiled because a man who isn’t your husband has had sexual relations with you…’ ²¹ then the priest is to have the woman commit to an oath by saying to the woman, ‘May the LORD make you a curse and a curse among your people. When the LORD makes your thigh waste away and your abdomen swell ²² and this water that brings a curse enters your abdomen, making it swell and your thigh waste away.’
“Then the woman is to say ‘Amen.’
²³ “Then the priest is to write all of these words in a document and wipe it off with the contaminated water. ²⁴ The woman is to drink the bitter water that brings a curse and the water that brings a curse is to be considered contaminated.

¹⁸ Be alert so there is no man, woman, family, or a tribe whose heart is turning away from the LORD your God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Be alert so there will be no root among you that produces poisonous and bitter fruit,

³² Instead, their vine is from the vines of Sodom and the vineyards of Gomorrah. Their grapes are poisonous, their clusters bitter.

⁶ So David told Abishai, “Now Bichri’s son Sheba is about to do more damage than did Absalom. So take my personal guards and go after them. Otherwise, he’ll run to one of the fortified cities and escape from us.”

³ The Arameans FleeNow there happened to be four lepers who were at that very moment at the entrance to the city gate. As they were talking with one another, they said, “Why are we sitting here waiting to die? ⁴ If we tell ourselves, ‘Let’s remain in the city,’ we’ll die there since there’s famine in the city. But if we sit here, we’ll die, too. So let’s go over to the Arameans! If they spare our lives, we’ll live, and if they kill us…we’re dying anyway!”

² I was as silent as a mute person; I said nothing, not even something good, and my distress deepened.

²¹ They put poison in my food, in my thirst they forced me to drink vinegar.

⁵ Warning of the Coming DisasterDeclare in Judah, make known in Jerusalem, by saying, “Blow the trumpet in the land, cry out, and say, ‘Gather together and let’s go to the fortified cities!’ ⁶ Raise a standard in the direction of Zion. Flee! Don’t stand around! For I’m bringing calamity from the north, along with great destruction.

¹⁵ Therefore, this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies, the God of Israel, says: “Look, I’ll make these people eat wormwood and drink poisoned water.

²⁰ We acknowledge, LORD, our wickedness, the guilt of our ancestors. Indeed, we have sinned against you.

¹⁵ Therefore, this is what the LORD God of the Heavenly Armies says about the prophets, “I’m about to make them eat wormwood and drink poisoned water, because godlessness has spread from the prophets of Jerusalem throughout the land.”

¹¹ Now when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come on! Let’s go to Jerusalem because of the army of the Chaldeans and the army of Aram. And now we’re living in Jerusalem.’”

¹⁹ Remember my affliction and homelessness— wormwood and gall!

²⁷ It is good when a young man carries the yoke of discipline in his youth. ²⁸ He is to sit apart and remain silent, because the LORD has laid it upon him.

¹⁰ One’s relative will pick up the corpse to carry them from the house for burning, saying to whomever remains inside the house, ‘Is there anyone still with you?’ And he will say, ‘No.’ He will respond, ‘Be quiet, because we do not mention the name “LORD”.’

²⁰ The LORD’s Final Counsel to Habakkuk“The LORD is in his holy Temple. All the earth—be quiet in his presence.”

¹³ Be silent, every living thing, in the presence of the LORD, because he is emerging from his Holy Place.”

³⁴ they offered him a drink of wine mixed with gall. But when he tasted it, he refused to drink it.

¹⁰ Then I replied, “Ah, Lord GOD, you have completely deceived this people and Jerusalem when you said, ‘You will have peace,’ while the sword is at their throat!”

¹¹ They have treated my people’s wound superficially, telling them, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.

¹⁹ The People Plead to the LORDHave you completely rejected Judah? Do you despise Zion? Why have you struck us, so that there is no healing for us? We hoped for peace, but no good came, for a time of healing, but there was only terror.

¹² Even though the inhabitants of Maroth long for success, nevertheless evil descended from the LORD to the gate of Jerusalem.

³ When people say, “There is peace and security,” destruction will strike them as suddenly as labor pains come to a pregnant woman, and they will not be able to escape.

²² Then loud was the beat of the horses’ hooves— from the galloping, galloping war steeds!

²⁹ They renamed the city Dan, after the name of their ancestor Dan, who had been born in Israel. The former name of the city was Laish.

¹ The Israelis Attack the Tribe of BenjaminThen the entire Israeli nation—from Dan to Beer-sheba, including the territory of Gilead—came out for war. The army assembled as one united force to God at Mizpah.

¹ A Davidic Psalm.
A Song for the King of Glory The earth and everything in it exists for the LORD— the world and those who live in it.

¹⁵ For a voice announces from Dan and declares disaster from Mount Ephraim.
¹⁶ The LORD Speaks“Tell the nations, ‘Here they come!’ Proclaim to Jerusalem, ‘The besieging forces are coming from a distant land. They cry out against the cities of Judah.

²⁴ I looked at the mountains; they were quaking, and all the hills moved back and forth.

²³ They grab bow and spear; they’re cruel and show no mercy. Their sound roars like the sea as they ride on horses, deployed like men ready for battle against you, daughter of Zion.”

²⁵ Pour out your anger on the nations that don’t acknowledge you, and on the families that don’t call on your name. For they have devoured Jacob; they have devoured and consumed him; they have devastated his habitation.

³ At the sound of the galloping hooves of his horses, at the rumbling of his chariots, the clatter of his wheels, fathers won’t turn back for their children because their hands are weak,

⁴ He rebukes the sea, and it evaporates; he dries up all the rivers. Bashan and Carmel wither, while the flowers of Lebanon languish. ⁵ Mountains shake because of him, and the hills melt. The earth goes into upheaval at his presence, as does the world with all of its inhabitants.

² The crack of whips and the clamor of wheels! The galloping horses and the bounding chariots!

¹⁰ When the mountains looked upon you, they trembled; the overflowing water passed by, the ocean shouted, and its waves surged upward.

²⁶ for “the earth and everything in it belong to the Lord.”

²⁸ However, if someone says to you, “This was offered as a sacrifice,” don’t eat it, both out of consideration for the one who told you and also for the sake of conscience.

⁶ In response, the LORD sent poisonous serpents among the people to bite them. As a result, many people of Israel died.

²⁴ Emaciated from famine, feverish from plague, and destroyed by bitterness, I’ll send fanged beasts against them, along with poisonous snakes that glide through the dust.

⁴ Their venom is like a poisonous snake; even like a deaf serpent that shuts its ears, ⁵ refusing to hear the voice of the snake charmer, the cunning enchanter.

¹¹ If a serpent strikes despite being charmed, there’s no point in being a snake charmer.

²⁹ “Don’t rejoice, all of you Philistines, that the rod that struck you is broken, because from the snake’s root a viper will spring up, and its offspring will be a darting, poisonous serpent.

¹⁹ It will be like a man who runs from a lion, only to encounter a bear; or who comes home, leans his hand against a wall, and a serpent bites him!

³ Even if they hide at the top of Mount Carmel, from there I will search and seize them. Even if they hide from my sight in the depths of the sea, from there I will order the serpent to strike them.

¹⁹ For the power of these horses is in their mouths and their tails. Their tails have heads like snakes, which they use to inflict pain.

¹³ For I’ve said, ‘My bed will comfort me; my couch will ease my burdens while I complain.’ ¹⁴ But then you scared me with dreams; you terrified me with visions.

⁴ Therefore I said: “Look away from me; and let me weep bitter tears; don’t try to console me over the destruction of the daughter of my people.”

²⁴ We have heard the news about it, and our hands are limp. Distress has seized us like a woman in labor.

¹⁹ Woe is me because of my injury. My wound is severe. I said, “Truly this is my sickness, and I must bear it. ²⁰ My tent is destroyed, and all my tent cords are broken. My sons have gone away from me, they no longer live. There is no one to pitch my tent again and set up my curtains. ²¹ Because the shepherds are stupid and don’t seek the LORD, therefore, they don’t prosper, and their flock is scattered. ²² The sound of a report, it’s coming now! There is a great commotion from a land in the north to make the towns of Judah desolate, a refuge for jackals.”

¹⁶ Because of all this, I weep; my eyes stream with tears because far from me is the comforter of my soul. My children are sorrowful, because the enemy has won. ¹⁷ Zion spreads out her hands; no one is there to comfort her. The LORD has issued an order against Jacob, that all who are around him are to be his enemies; Jerusalem has become unclean among them.

¹⁷ This is why our hearts faint, and why our eyes grow dim:

¹⁶ But suddenly someone who resembled a human being touched my lips, so addressing the one who was standing in front of me, I opened my mouth and said, ‘Sir, I’m overwhelmed with anguish by this vision. I have no strength left. ¹⁷ So how can a servant of my lord talk with someone like you, sir? And as for me, there’s no strength left in me, and I can hardly breathe.’

¹⁶ Habakkuk’s ResponseI heard and I trembled within. My lips quivered at the noise. My legs gave way beneath me, and I trembled. Nevertheless, I await the day of distress that will dawn on our invaders.

¹⁶ They provoked him to jealousy over foreigners and to anger over detestable things. ¹⁷ They sacrificed to demons— not to the real God— gods whom they didn’t know, new neighbors who had recently appeared, whom your ancestors never feared. ¹⁸ You neglected the Rock that fathered you; you abandoned God, who was awaiting your birth.
¹⁹ The LORD’s ResponseThe LORD saw it and became jealous, provoked by his sons and daughters. ²⁰ So he said: “Let me hide my face from them. I will observe what their end will be, because they are a perverted generation, children within whom there is no loyalty. ²¹ They provoked me to jealousy over non-gods, and to be angry over their vanity. Now I’ll provoke them to jealousy over a non-people; and over a foolish nation I’ll provoke them to anger.

²¹ Blessed be the LORD from Zion, he who lives in Jerusalem. Hallelujah!

¹⁰ The LORD will reign forever, your God, Zion, for all generations! Hallelujah!

² May Israel rejoice in its Maker, and Zion’s descendants in their King!

⁴ “Oh, you sinful nation! You people burdened down by iniquity! You offspring of those who keep practicing what is evil! You corrupt children! “They’ve abandoned the LORD; they’ve despised the Holy One of Israel; in their estrangement, they’ve walked away from me.

⁶ Shout aloud, and sing for joy, you who live in Zion, because great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.”

⁵ They’re coming from a faraway land, from the distant horizon— the LORD and the weapons of his anger— to destroy the entire land.”

²² For the LORD is our judge, and the LORD is our lawgiver; and the LORD is our king, and it is he who will save us.

³ Isaiah Rebukes HezekiahThen the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and asked him, “What did these men have to say? And from where did they come to you?”
Hezekiah replied, “From a distant land—they came to me from Babylon.”

¹ The Redemption of Zion Awake, awake! Clothe yourself with strength, O Zion! Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city, for the uncircumcised and the unclean won’t enter you.

¹⁶ The LORD Speaks“Tell the nations, ‘Here they come!’ Proclaim to Jerusalem, ‘The besieging forces are coming from a distant land. They cry out against the cities of Judah. ¹⁷ They have surrounded her like those guarding a field because they have rebelled against me,’” declares the LORD.

³⁰ You are ruined! What are you doing dressing in scarlet, putting on golden ornaments, and highlighting your eyes with makeup? You are making yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers reject you— they’re out to kill you. ³¹ I heard a cry like that of a woman in labor, anguish like one giving birth to her firstborn, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for air, stretching out her hand: “Woe is me! I’m about to faint in front of killers!”

⁵ Why has this people turned away? Why does Jerusalem continue in apostasy? They hold on to deceit and refuse to repent. ⁶ I’ve listened and I’ve heard, and what they say is not right. No one repents of his evil and says, ‘What have I done?’ “They all turn to their own course like a horse racing into battle.

¹⁶ I’ll scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known, and I’ll pursue them with the sword until I’ve finished them off.”

⁶ For there will be a day when the watchmen will call out on the hills of Ephraim, ‘Arise, let’s go up to Zion to the LORD our God.’”

³² And everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD will be delivered. For as the LORD has said, ‘In Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be those who escape, the survivors whom the LORD is calling.’”

²¹ I will acquit their bloodguilt that has not yet been acquitted. For the LORD lives in Zion!”

¹⁷ “But there will be a delivered remnant on Mount Zion. There will be holiness, and the house of Jacob will take back their possessions.

¹ The Letter to the Church in Ephesus “To the messenger of the church in Ephesus, write:
‘The one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lamp stands, says this:

⁵ Whoever harvests during summer acts wisely, but the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.

¹ The Parable about the Ten Bridesmaids “At that time, the kingdom from heaven will be comparable to ten bridesmaids who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the groom. ² Now five of them were foolish, and five were wise, ³ because when the foolish ones took their lamps, they didn’t take any oil with them. ⁴ But the wise ones took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ Since the groom was late, all of them became sleepy and lay down. ⁶ But at midnight there came a shout: ‘The groom is here! Come out to meet him!’ ⁷ Then all the bridesmaids woke up and got their lamps ready. ⁸ “But the foolish ones told the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out!’ ⁹ “But the wise ones replied, ‘No! There will never be enough for us and for you. You’d better go to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’
¹⁰ “While they were away buying it, the groom arrived. Those who were ready went with him into the wedding banquet, and the door was closed. ¹¹ Later, the other bridesmaids arrived and said, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us!’
¹² “But he replied, ‘I tell all of you with certainty, I don’t know you!’

²⁵ After the homeowner gets up and closes the door, you can stand outside, knock on the door, and say again and again, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will answer you, ‘I don’t know where you come from.’

⁴⁴ They will level you to the ground—you and those who live within your city limits. They will not leave one stone on another within your walls, because you didn’t recognize the time when you were visited.”

⁷ A Rest for the People of GodTherefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, ⁸ do not harden your hearts as they did when they provoked me during the time of testing in the wilderness. ⁹ There your ancestors tested me, even though they had seen my actions ¹⁰ for 40 years. That is why I was indignant with that generation and said, ‘They are always going astray in their hearts, and they have not known my ways.’ ¹¹ So in my anger I swore a solemn oath that they would never enter my rest.”
¹² See to it, my brothers, that no evil, unbelieving heart is found in any of you, as shown by your turning away from the living God. ¹³ Instead, continue to encourage one another every day, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, ¹⁴ because we are the Messiah’s partners only if we hold on to our original confidence to the end. ¹⁵ As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as they did when they provoked me.”

³ I replied to the king, “May the king live forever. Why shouldn’t I be troubled, since the city where my ancestral sepulchers are located lies waste, with its gates burned by fire?”

³ for it was there that our captors asked us for songs and our torturers demanded joy from us, “Sing us one of the songs about Zion!” ⁴ How are we to sing the song of the LORD on foreign soil? ⁵ If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand cease to function. ⁶ May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I don’t remember you, if I don’t consider Jerusalem to be more important than my highest joy.

⁵ The Loved OneThe daughters of Jerusalem, I’m dark and lovely like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon. ⁶ Don’t stare at me because I’m dark; the sun has tanned me. My mother’s sons were angry with me. They made me the caretaker of the vineyards, but I didn’t take care of my own vineyard.

¹⁹ Jeremiah’s Lament for His People“My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the aching of my heart! My heart pounds within me; I cannot keep silent. For I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm for war.

¹ The LORD’s Sorrow for His People “Oh, that my head were a spring of water, and my eyes a fountain of tears, for then I would cry day and night for those of my people who have been killed.

¹⁷ “And deliver this message to them: ‘Let tears run down my face, night and day, and don’t let them stop, because my virgin daughter—my people— will be broken with a powerful blow, with a severe wound.

¹⁶ I haven’t run away from being your shepherd, and I haven’t longed for the day of sickness. You know what comes out from my lips, it’s open before you.

⁶ The people are terrified in their presence; every face grows pale.

¹⁰ Nineveh is devastated, deserted, and desolate. Her heart melts, her knees knock. Every stomach is upset, every face grows pale.

⁴¹ When he came closer and saw the city, he began to grieve over it:

¹ Paul’s Concern for the Jewish PeopleI am telling the truth because I belong to the Messiah—I am not lying, and my conscience confirms it by means of the Holy Spirit. ² I have deep sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart, ³ for I could wish that I myself were condemned and cut off from the Messiah for the sake of my brothers, my own people,

²⁵ After this, while they were seated, eating their food, they looked around and saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead with camels carrying spices, balm, and myrrh for sale down in Egypt.

¹¹ Jacob Gives Instructions for the Trip“If that’s the way it has to be,” their father Israel replied, “then do this: take some of the best produce of the land in your containers and take them to the man as a gift—some resin ointment, some honey, fragrant resins, myrrh, pistachios, and almonds.

⁵ “Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? Your whole head is sick, and your whole heart is faint. ⁶ From the sole of your foot to the top of your head, there’s no soundness evident— only bruises, sores, and festering wounds that haven’t been cleaned out, bandaged, or treated with oil.”

¹² The Healing of Zion’s Wounds“For this is what the LORD says: ‘Your injury won’t heal; your wound is severe. ¹³ There is no one to plead your cause. There is no medicine for your sore; no healing for you. ¹⁴ All your lovers have forgotten you; they don’t seek you. Indeed, I’ve struck you down with the blow of an enemy, with the punishment of a cruel foe because your wickedness is great, and your sins are numerous. ¹⁵ Why do you cry out because of your injury? Your wound won’t heal. Because your wickedness is severe, and your sins are numerous, I’ve done all these things to you. ¹⁶ In addition, all who devour you will be devoured, and all your oppressors—all of them— will go into captivity. Those who plunder you will become plunder, and all who spoil you will become spoil. ¹⁷ Indeed, I’ll bring you healing, and I’ll heal you of your wounds,’ declares the LORD, ‘because they have called you an outcast and have said, “It is Zion, no one cares for her!”’”

¹¹ Go up to Gilead and get balm, virgin daughter of Egypt! In vain you multiply remedies, but there is no healing for you.

⁸ Suddenly, Babylon fell down and was shattered. Wail for her! Bring balm for her wound, perhaps she will be healed.

¹¹ The Pharisees saw this and asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
¹² When Jesus heard that, he said, “Healthy people don’t need a physician, but sick people do.

³¹ But Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a physician, but sick people do. ³² I have not come to call righteous people, but sinners, to repentance.”

⁴³ A woman was there who had been suffering from chronic bleeding for twelve years. Although she had spent all she had on doctors, no one could heal her.