1
Hear the word, O house of Israel, || That YHWH has spoken for you.
2
Thus said YHWH: “Do not accustom yourselves to the way of the nations, || And do not be frightened by the signs of the heavens, || For the nations are frightened by them.
3
For the statutes of the peoples are vanity, || For one has cut a tree from a forest, || Work of the hands of a craftsman, with an axe,
4
They beautify it with silver and with gold, || They fix it with nails and with hammers, || And it does not stumble.
5
They [are] stiff as a palm, and they do not speak, || They are surely carried, for they do not step, || Do not be afraid of them, for they do no evil, || Indeed, to do good is also not in them.”
6
Because there is none like You, O YHWH, || You [are] great, and Your Name [is] great in might.
7
Who does not fear You, King of the nations? For it is befitting to You, || For among all the wise of the nations, || And in all their kingdom, there is none like You.
8
And as one they are brutish and foolish, || An instruction of vanities [is] the tree itself.
9
Spread-out silver is brought from Tarshish, || And gold from Uphaz, || Work of an artisan, and of the hands of a refiner, || Their clothing [is] blue and purple, || Work of the skillful—all of them.
10
And YHWH [is] a God of truth, || He [is] a living God, and a perpetual King, || The earth shakes from His wrath, || And nations do not endure His indignation.
11
Thus you say to them, “The gods who have not made the heavens and earth, || They perish from the earth, || And from under these heavens.”
12
The Maker of the earth by His power, || The Establisher of the world by His wisdom, || Who, by His understanding, stretched forth the heavens—
13
When He gives forth His voice, || A multitude of waters [is] in the heavens, || And He causes vapors to come up from the end of the earth, || He has made lightnings for rain, || And brings out wind from His treasures.
14
Every man is brutish by knowledge, || Every refiner is put to shame by a carved image, || For his molten image [is] false. And there is no breath in them.
15
They [are] vanity, work of erring ones, || They perish in the time of their inspection.
16
The Portion of Jacob [is] not like these, || For He [is] the Framer of all things, || And Israel [is] the rod of His inheritance, || YHWH of Hosts [is] His Name.
The Coming Captivity of Judah
17
Gather your merchandise from the land, || O dweller in the bulwark,
18
For thus said YHWH: “Behold, I am slinging out the inhabitants of the land at this time, || And have been an adversary to them, || So that they are found out.”
19
Woe to me for my breaking, || My striking has been grievous, || And I said, “Surely this [is] my sickness, and I bear it.”
20
My tent has been spoiled, || And all my cords have been broken, || My sons have gone out from me, and they are not, || There is none stretching out my tent anymore, || And raising up my curtains.
21
For the shepherds have become brutish, || And they have not sought YHWH, || Therefore they have not acted wisely, || And all their flock is scattered.
22
A voice of a report, behold, it has come, || Even a great shaking from the north country, || To make the cities of Judah a desolation, || A habitation of dragons.
23
I have known, O YHWH, that not of man [is] his way, || Not of man [is] the going and establishing of his step.
24
Discipline me, O YHWH, only in judgment, || Not in Your anger, lest You make me small.
25
Pour out Your fury on the nations that have not known You, || And on the families that have not called on Your Name, || For they have eaten up Jacob, || Indeed, they have eaten him up, indeed, they consume him, || And they have made his habitation desolate!
Copyright © 2020 Covenant Press and the CCC - licensed under CC BY-SA