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12 So this is what the Holy One of Israel says:
“You people have ·refused to accept [rejected; despise] this message
and have depended on ·cruelty [oppression] and ·lies [deceit] to help you.
13 You are guilty of these things.
So you will be like a high wall ·with cracks in it [cracked and bulging]
that falls suddenly and ·breaks into small pieces [or in a flash/instant].
14 You will be like a clay jar that breaks,
smashed into many pieces.
Those pieces will be too small
to take coals from the fire
or to get water from a ·well [cistern].”
15 This is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel [1:4], says:
“If you ·come back to me [repent] and ·trust [rest in] me, you will be saved.
If you will be calm and trust me, you will be strong.”
But you ·don’t want to do that [refused; would not].
16 You say, “No, we need horses to ·run away on [flee].”
So you will ·run away on horses [L flee].
You say, “We will ride away on fast horses.”
So those who chase you will be fast.
17 One enemy will make threats,
and a thousand of your men will ·run away [flee; Deut. 32:30].
Five enemies will make threats,
and all of you will run from them.
You will be left alone like a flagpole on a hilltop,
like a ·banner [standard; signal flag] on a hill.
18 The Lord ·wants [is waiting] to ·show his mercy [be gracious] to you.
He ·wants to rise and [or is exalted and wants to] ·comfort [show compassion to] you.
The Lord is a ·fair [just] God,
and everyone who waits for ·his help [L him] will be ·happy [blessed].
The Lord Will Help His People
19 You people who live on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will not ·cry [weep] anymore. The Lord will hear your crying, and he will ·comfort [be gracious to] you. When he hears you, he will ·help [answer] you. 20 The Lord has given you ·sorrow and hurt like the bread and water you ate every day [L the bread of adversity and the water of affliction]. ·He is your teacher; he will not continue to hide [or But your teachers will no longer be hidden] from you, but you will see your ·teacher [or teachers] with your own eyes. 21 If you go the wrong way—to the right or to the left—you will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the right way. ·You should go this way [L Walk in it].” 22 Then you will ·ruin [destroy; desecrate] your statues covered with silver and gold. You will throw them away like ·filthy rags [unclean things; a menstrual cloth; Lev. 15:19–24] and say, “Go away!”
23 ·At that time [L In that day] the Lord will send rain for the seeds you ·plant [sow] in the ground, and the ground will grow food for you. The harvest will be ·rich [fat] and ·great [plentiful], and ·you will have plenty of food in the fields for your animals [L your cattle will graze in large pastures]. 24 Your oxen and donkeys that work the soil will have ·all the food they need [the best grain; seasoned feed]. ·You will have to use shovels and pitchforks to spread all their food […winnowed with fork and shovel]. 25 Every mountain and hill will have streams flowing with water. ·These things will happen after many people are killed and [L …in the day of great slaughter when] the towers are pulled down. 26 ·At that time [L In that day] the light from the moon will be bright like the sun, and the light from the sun will be seven times brighter than now, like the light of seven days. These things will happen when the Lord ·bandages his broken [binds up the broken limbs of his] people and heals the ·hurts he gave them [wounds he inflicted].
27 Look! The ·Lord [L the name of the Lord; C the name represents the person] comes from far away.
His anger is like a fire with thick clouds of smoke.
His ·mouth is [lips are] filled with anger,
and his tongue is like a ·burning [consuming; devouring] fire.
28 His breath is like a rushing river,
which rises to the ·throat [neck].
He will ·judge [L sift; shake] the nations as if he is sifting them through the strainer of destruction.
He will place in their mouths a bit that will lead them ·the wrong way [astray].
29 You will ·sing happy songs [L have a song]
as on the nights you begin a festival.
You will be happy like people ·listening to [or playing; L going with] flutes
as they come to the mountain of the Lord,
to the Rock of Israel.
30 The Lord will cause all people to hear his ·great [majestic; glorious] voice
and to see his powerful arm come down with anger,
like a ·great fire that burns everything [consuming/devouring fire],
like a great storm with much rain and hail.
31 Assyria will be ·afraid [terrorized; or shattered] when it hears the voice of the Lord,
because he will strike Assyria with a rod.
32 ·When the Lord punishes Assyria with a rod [L Every stroke he lays on them with his punishing club/rod],
he will beat them to the music of tambourines and harps;
he will fight against them with his mighty weapons.
33 ·Topheth [or The burning place; C perhaps located in the Valley of Hinnom (Gehenna); Jer. 7:31–32] has been made ready for a long time;
it is ready for the king.
It was made deep and wide
with much wood and fire.
And the Lord’s breath will come
like a stream of ·burning sulfur [T brimstone] and set it on fire.
Warnings About Relying on Egypt
31 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] those people who go down to Egypt for help.
·They think horses will save them [L …who rely on horses].
·They think [L …who trust in] their many chariots
and strong horsemen will save them [Ps. 20:7].
But they don’t trust God, the Holy One of Israel [1:4],
or ask the Lord for help.
2 But he is wise and can bring them disaster.
He does not ·change his warnings [take back his words].
He will rise up and fight against the ·evil people [L house of evildoers]
and against those who try to help ·evil people [sinners; workers of iniquity].
3 The Egyptians are only people and are not God.
Their horses are ·only animals [L flesh] and are not spirit.
The Lord will stretch out his arm,
and the one who helps will stumble,
and the people who wanted help will fall.
All of them will ·be destroyed [perish] together.
4 The Lord says this to me:
“When a lion or a ·lion’s cub [young lion],
stands over ·the dead animal it has killed [its prey] and roars.
A band of shepherds
may be assembled against it,
but the lion will not be afraid of their yelling
or upset by their noise.
So the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will come down
to fight on Mount Zion and on its hill.
5 The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] will ·defend [protect] Jerusalem
like birds flying over their nests.
He will ·defend [protect] and save it;
he will ‘pass over’ and save Jerusalem.”
6 You children of Israel, come back to the God you ·fought [rebelled; revolted] against. 7 ·The time is coming when [L For in that day] each of you will ·stop worshiping [throw/cast away] idols of gold and silver, which ·you sinned by making [your sinful hands have made].
8 “Assyria will ·be defeated [fall] by a sword, but not ·the sword of a person [of man];
Assyria will be ·destroyed [devoured], but not by a person’s sword.
Assyria will run away from the ·sword of God [L sword],
but its young men will be caught and made slaves.
9 ·They will panic, and [From terror] their ·protection [or strong ones; rock] will be destroyed.
Their ·commanders [officers; princes] will be terrified when they see ·God’s battle flag [L the standard/flag],”
says the Lord,
whose fire is in ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 1:27]
and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
A Good Kingdom Is Coming
32 A king will rule in ·a way that brings justice [righteousness; justice],
and ·leaders [rulers; princes] will ·make fair decisions [rule in justice].
2 Then each ruler will be like a shelter from the wind,
like a ·safe place [refuge] in a storm,
like streams of water in a dry land,
like a cool shadow from a large rock in a ·hot [thirsty; weary] land.
3 Then the eyes of those who see will ·see the truth [not be closed],
and the ears of those who hear will listen.
4 ·People who are now worried [or Those who are reckless; L The heart of the hasty] will be able to understand.
·Those who cannot speak clearly now [The stuttering/stammering tongue] will then be able to speak clearly and quickly.
5 Fools will not be called ·great [noble; honorable],
and people will not respect the ·wicked [scoundrel; deceiver].
6 A fool says foolish things,
and in his ·mind [heart] he ·plans evil [or commits sin].
A fool ·does things that are wicked [practices ungodliness],
and he ·says wrong things [spreads error] about the Lord.
A fool does not feed the hungry
or let thirsty people drink water.
7 The ·wicked person [scoundrel] uses evil ·like a tool [or schemes; methods].
He plans ·ways [wicked schemes] to take everything from the poor.
He destroys the poor with lies,
even when the ·poor person [needy] ·is in the right [L speak justice].
8 But a ·good leader plans to do good [honorable/noble man plans honorable/noble things],
and those ·good [honorable; noble] things make him ·a good leader [or stand firm].
Hard Times Are Coming
9 You women who are ·calm [complacent] now,
·stand [rise] up and listen to ·me [L my voice].
You ·women [L daughters] who feel ·safe [secure; self-confident] now,
hear what I say.
10 You women feel ·safe [secure; self-confident] now,
but ·after one year [L in a year and some days] you will ·be afraid [shudder; tremble].
There will be no grape harvest
and no summer fruit to gather.
11 Women, you are ·calm [complacent] now, but you should shake with fear.
Women, you feel ·safe [secure; self-confident] now, but you should tremble.
·Take [Strip] off your nice clothes
and put ·rough cloth [burlap; sackcloth] around your waist [C a sign of sorrow or despair].
12 Beat your breasts [C a sign of mourning or grief], ·because the fields that were pleasant are now empty [L for the pleasant fields].
·Cry, because the vines that once had fruit now have no more grapes [L …for the fruitful vine].
13 ·Cry for [L …for] the land of my people,
in which only thorns and weeds now grow [Gen. 3:18].
·Cry for [L …for] the city that once was happy
and for all the houses that once were filled with joy.
14 The ·palace [or fortress] will be ·empty [abandoned; deserted];
the ·noisy [bustling; populous] city will be abandoned.
·Strong cities and towers [or The citadel and the watchtower] will be empty.
Wild donkeys will love to live there, and sheep will go there to eat.
Things Will Get Better
15 This will continue until ·God pours his Spirit [L the Spirit is poured] from ·above [heaven; T on high] upon us.
Then the desert will be like ·rich farmland [a fertile/fruitful field]
and the ·rich farmland [fertile/fruitful field] like a forest [29:17; 35:1, 2].
16 Justice will ·be found [L dwell] even in the desert,
and fairness will be found in the ·rich farmland [fertile/fruitful field].
17 That fairness will bring peace,
and it will bring ·calm [quietness] and ·safety [trust; confidence] forever.
18 My people will live in peaceful places
and in ·safe [secure] homes
and in ·calm [quiet] places of rest.
19 Hail will destroy the forest,
and the city will be ·completely destroyed [brought down; laid low].
20 But you will be ·happy [blessed] as you plant seeds near every stream
and as you let [L the feet of] your cattle and donkeys wander freely.
Warnings to Assyria and Promises to God’s People
33 ·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] you who destroy others
but have not been destroyed yet.
·How terrible it will be for [L Woe to] you, traitor,
whom no one has ·turned against yet [betrayed].
When you stop destroying,
others will destroy you.
When you stop ·turning against others [betraying],
they will ·turn against [betray] you.
2 Lord, be ·kind [gracious; merciful] to us.
We have waited for your help.
·Give us strength [L Be our arm] every morning.
·Save us [L …our salvation] ·when we are in [L in times of] trouble.
3 ·Your powerful voice makes [or At the sound of tumult] ·people [the peoples/nations] run away;
your ·greatness [majesty; or rising up] causes the nations to run away.
4 Like ·locusts [or the caterpillar], your enemies will ·take away [gather; harvest] ·the things you stole in war [your plunder].
Like locusts ·rushing about [swarming], they will take your wealth.
5 The Lord is ·very great [exalted], and he ·lives in a high place [T dwells on high].
He fills ·Jerusalem [L Zion; 1:27] with ·fairness [justice; judgment] and ·justice [righteousness].
6 He will ·always be your safety [be the foundation/stability of your time].
He is ·full [a rich store/abundance] of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.
·Respect for [The fear of] the Lord is the greatest treasure [Prov. 1:7].
7 See, ·brave people [heroes; valiant ones] are crying out in the streets;
·those who tried to bring [envoys/ambassadors of] peace are weeping ·loudly [bitterly].
8 ·There is no one on the roads [L Highways lie desolate/deserted],
no ·one walking [travelers] in the ·paths [roads; way].
People have broken the ·agreements [treaties; covenants] they made.
They ·refuse to believe the proof from [L despise its] witnesses.
No one ·respects [cares about; regards] other people.
9 The land ·is sick and dying [dries up and withers; or mourns and languishes];
Lebanon is ashamed and ·dying [shrivels; withers].
Sharon [C a fertile plain along the Mediterranean coast] is like the desert,
and ·the trees of Bashan and Carmel are dying [L Bashan and Carmel shake off; C their leaves; these places were known for their lush trees and vegetation; 2:13; 35:2].
Keep Your Freedom
5 Christ set us free ·so that we could live in freedom [to a place of freedom; or by means of freedom; 4:31]. So stand strong. Do not ·change and go back into the slavery of the law [L submit/be fastened to a yoke of slavery]. 2 Listen, I Paul tell you that if you ·go back to the law by being [L let yourself be] circumcised, Christ does you no good. 3 Again, I warn every man: If you allow yourselves to be circumcised, you ·must follow [are obligated to obey] all the law. 4 If you try to be ·made right with God [justified] through the law, ·your life with Christ is over [L you are alienated/separated/severed from Christ]—you have ·left [fallen away from] God’s grace. 5 For by the Spirit and through faith we wait eagerly for ·a right relationship with God [L righteousness]—the object of our hope. 6 ·When we are [L For] in Christ Jesus, ·it is not important if we are circumcised or not [L neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything]. The important thing is faith—the kind of faith that works through love.
7 You were running a good race. Who ·stopped [hindered] you from ·following [or obeying; or your conviction about] the ·true way [truth]? 8 This ·change [persuasion; enticement] did not come from the One who ·chose [called] you. 9 Be careful! “Just a little ·yeast [leaven; 1 Cor. 5:6–7] makes the whole batch of dough rise [C a little error will spread through the whole community].” 10 But I ·trust [L have confidence/am persuaded about you] in the Lord that you will ·not believe those different ideas [take no different view]. Whoever is ·confusing [troubling] you with such ideas will ·be punished [pay the penalty; L bear the condemnation], ·no matter who he is [L whoever he may be].
11 My brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching ·that a man must be circumcised [L circumcision; C some were evidently accusing Paul of this], why am I still being ·attacked [persecuted]? If I still taught circumcision, ·my preaching about the cross would not be a problem [the scandal/offense of the cross has been removed/abolished]. 12 I wish the people who are bothering you would ·castrate themselves [make themselves eunuchs; L cut it off]! [C Paul sarcastically says that if circumcision is so helpful, why not go even further?]
Wishing to Be Near God
A psalm of David when he was in the ·desert [wilderness] of Judah [C fleeing from a jealous Saul; 1 Sam. 21–31].
63 God, you are my God.
I ·search for [am intent on] you.
I thirst for you [42:1–2]
·like someone [or my flesh yearns for you] in a dry, ·empty [exhausted; weary] land
where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in ·the Temple [L the Holy Place; or holiness]
and have seen your strength and glory.
3 Because your ·love [loyalty] is better than life,
·I [L My lips] will praise you.
4 I will ·praise [bless] you ·as long as I live [L with my life].
I will lift up my hands in your name [C in prayer].
5 I will be ·content as if I had eaten the best foods [L satisfied as with fat and fatness].
My lips will sing, and my mouth will praise you.
6 I remember you while I’m lying in bed;
I ·think about [meditate on] you through the watches of the night [C the night was divided into four watches of three hours each].
7 You are my help.
·Because of your protection [L In the shadow of your wings; C an image of compassion or perhaps a reference to the cherubim whose wings covered the Ark of the Covenant; Ex. 25:20], I sing.
8 I ·stay close [cling] to you;
·you support me with your right hand [L your right hand sustains me].
9 ·Some people are trying to kill me [L They seek my life for ruin],
but they will go down to the ·grave [L underbelly of the earth].
10 They will be ·killed with swords [L handed over to the sword]
and ·eaten by wild dogs [L be the prey of jackals].
11 But the king will rejoice in his God.
All who ·make promises in his name [L swear by him] will praise him,
but the mouths of liars will be shut.
22 Listen to your father, who ·gave you life [begot you],
and do not ·forget [despise] your mother when she is old.
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