Warning Against Alliance With Egypt
1 Suffer you unwilling children, says Jehovah. You pursue a purpose that is not mine. You make a covenant sacrifice without my Spirit. You add sin to sin.
1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
1 “Woe to the (A)rebellious children,” declares the Lord,“Who (B)execute a plan, but not Mine,And (a)(C)make an alliance, but not of My Spirit,In order to add sin to sin;
1 Woe to the rebellious children!(A)This is the Lord’s declaration.They carry out a plan,(B) but not Mine;they make an alliance,but against My will,piling sin on top of sin.
1 "Oh, you stubborn children," declares the LORD, "who carry out plans but they are not mine, and who make alliances but not by my Spirit, piling sin upon sin.
2 You go to Egypt for help without asking for my advice. You want Egypt to protect you. You put your trust in Egypt's military might.
2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
2 Who (D)proceed down to EgyptWithout (E)consulting (b)Me,(F)To take refuge in the safety of PharaohAnd to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!
2 They set out to go down to Egypt(C)without asking My advice,in order to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protectionand take refuge in Egypt’s shadow.(D)
2 They set out to go down to Egypt, without asking my advice; taking refuge in Pharaoh's protection, and seeking shelter in Egypt's shadow.
3 The safety of Pharaoh will be your shame and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, your humiliation.
3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
3 “Therefore the safety of Pharaoh will be (G)your shameAnd the shelter in the shadow of Egypt, your humiliation.
3 But Pharaoh's protection will become your shame, and sheltering in Egypt's shadow your longing.
5 Everyone will be ashamed because of a people who cannot help them. They cannot help. They can only offer shame and reproach.
5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
5 “Everyone will be (I)ashamed because of a people who cannot profit them,Who are (J)not for help or profit, but for shame and also for reproach.”
5 everyone will be ashamedbecause of a people who can’t help.They are of no benefit, they are no help;they are good for nothing but shame and reproach.(G)
5 There is only loathsome destruction through a people that cannot benefit them, who bring neither help nor profit, but only shame and disgrace."
Oracle Regarding The Negev
6 THE PROPHESY ABOUT THE BEASTS OF THE NEGEV (southern land): The Negev is a land of distress and anguish. Lions and lionesses live there. Vipers and poisonous snakes live there. They carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys and their treasures on the humps of camels to a nation that cannot help them.
6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
6 The (c)oracle concerning the (K)beasts of the (L)Negev.Through a land of (M)distress and anguish,From (d)where come lioness and lion, viper and (N)flying serpent,They (O)carry their riches on the (e)backs of young donkeysAnd their treasures on (P)camels’ humps,To a people who cannot profit them;
6 An oracle(H) about the animals of the Negev:(b)Through a land of trouble and distress,of lioness and lion,of viper and flying serpent,(I)they carry their wealth on the backs of donkeysand their treasures on the humps of camels,to a people who will not help them.
6 An oracle about the animals of the Negev: "Through a land of trouble, dryness, and distress, of lionesses and roaring lions, where there is no water, a land of vipers and darting snakes, he carries their riches on donkeys' backs, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a nation that cannot benefit them,
7 Egypt's help is completely useless. That is why I call her: Rahab, who sits still. (defamatory word for Egypt) (negative connotation)
7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.
7 Even Egypt, whose (Q)help is vain and empty.Therefore, I have called (f)her“(g)(R)Rahab who has been exterminated.”
7 to Egypt, which gives help that is worthless and useless. Therefore I call her, "Rahab, who just sits still.'"
A Rebellious People
8 Write this on a tablet for them, and inscribe it in a book so that it will be there in the future as a permanent witness.
8 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
8 Now go, (S)write it on a tablet before themAnd inscribe it on a scroll,That it may (h)serve in the time to come(i)As a witness forever.
8 Go now, write it on a tablet in their presenceand inscribe it on a scroll;it will be for the future,forever and ever.
8 "Go now, and write it down on a tablet in their presence, inscribing it in a book, so that for times to come it may be an everlasting witness.
9 These people are rebellious and deceitful children. They refuse to listen to Jehovah's Law.
9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
9 For this is a (T)rebellious people, (U)false sons,Sons who (j)refuse to (V)listenTo the (k)instruction of the Lord;
9 They are a rebellious people,deceptive children,(K)children who do not want to obey the Lord’s instruction.
9 For they are a rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to hear the LORD's instruction.
10 They say to the seers: Do not see the future. They say to those who have visions: 'Do not have visions that tell us what is right. Tell us what we want to hear. Prophesy illusions.
10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
10 Who say to the (W)seers, “You must not see visions”;And to the prophets, “You must not (X)prophesy to us what is right,(Y)Speak to us (l)pleasant words,Prophesy illusions.
10 They say to the seers, “Do not see,”and to the prophets,“Do not prophesy the truth to us.Tell us flattering things.(L)Prophesy illusions.
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,
11 Get out of our way! Stop blocking our path! Get the Holy One of Israel out of our sight.'
11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
11 “Get out of the way, (Z)turn aside from the path,(m)(AA)Let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.”
11 get out of the way, turn aside from the path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel."
12 This is what the Holy One of Israel says: You have rejected this warning, trusted oppression and deceit, and you leaned upon them for support.
12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:
12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel,“(AB)Since you have rejected this wordAnd have put your trust in (AC)oppression and guile, and have relied on them,
12 Therefore the Holy One of Israel says:“Because you have rejected this messageand have trusted in oppression and deceit,and have depended on them,
12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says: "Because you reject this message, and put your trust in oppression and enjoy it, and since you rely on it,
13 For that reason your sin will be like a high wall with a bulging crack, ready to fall. All of a sudden it will fall.
13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.
13 Therefore this (AD)iniquity will be to youLike a (AE)breach about to fall,A bulge in a high wall,Whose collapse comes (AF)suddenly in an instant,
13 this iniquity(N) of yours will belike a spreading breach,a bulge in a high wallwhose collapse will come in an instant—suddenly!
13 therefore, for you this sin will become like a breach in a high wall that is about to collapse, bulging out, and whose crash comes suddenly in an instant.
14 It will break like pottery. It will be smashed. Nothing will be left of it. No piece will be big enough to carry live coals from a fireplace or to dip water from a reservoir.
14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters' vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.
14 Whose collapse is like the smashing of a (AG)potter’s jar,(n)So ruthlessly shatteredThat a sherd will not be found among its piecesTo (o)take fire from a hearthOr to scoop water from a cistern.”
14 Its collapse will be like the shatteringof a potter’s jar,(O) crushed to pieces,so that not even a fragment of potterywill be found among its shattered remains—no fragment large enough to take fire from a hearthor scoop water from a cistern.”
14 Its breaking will be like when potters' vessels are broken, shattered so ruthlessly that among its fragments not even a broken sliver will be found for taking fire from a hearth or scooping water out of a cistern."
15 The Lord Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, says: Return to me and be saved. You can have rest. You can be strong by being quiet and by trusting me. But you do not want that!
15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
15 For thus the Lord (p)God, the Holy One of Israel, has said,“In (q)repentance and (AH)rest you will be saved,In (AI)quietness and trust is your strength.”But you were not willing,
15 For the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said:“You will be delivered by returning and resting;your strength will lie in quiet confidence.But you are not willing.”
15 For this is what the LORD GOD, the Holy One of Israel, says: "In repentance and rest you will be saved; in staying calm and trusting will be your strength. But you refused.
16 You have said: No, we will flee on horses. So you flee. You added: We will ride on fast horses. So those who chase you will also be fast.
16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
16 And you said, “No, for we will flee on (AJ)horses,”Therefore you shall flee!“And we will ride on swift horses,”Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift.
16 You say, “No!We will escape on horses”—therefore you will escape!—and, “We will ride on fast horses”—but those who pursue you will be faster.(P)
16 Instead, you said, "No! We'll escape on horses!' Therefore, you'll flee away. And you said, "We'll ride off on swift steeds!' Therefore your pursuers will be swift.
17 One thousand people will flee when one person threatens them. You will flee when five threaten you. Then you will be left alone like a flagpole on top of a mountain, like a signpost on a hill.
17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.
17 (AK)One thousand will flee at the threat of one man;You will flee at the threat of five,Until you are left as a (r)flag on a mountain topAnd as a signal on a hill.
17 One thousand will flee at the threat of one,(Q)at the threat of five you will flee,until you alone remainlike a solitary pole on a mountaintopor a banner on a hill.
17 A thousand will flee at the threat of one; and run away, pursued by five, until you are left like a flagpole on a mountaintop, like a banner on a hill."
Yahweh Will Show Mercy
18 Jehovah is waiting to be kind to you. He rises to have compassion on you. Jehovah is a God of justice. Blessed are all those who wait for him.
18 And therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
18 Therefore the Lord (s)(AL)longs to be gracious to you,And therefore He (t)waits on (AM)high to have compassion on you.For the Lord is a (AN)God of justice;How blessed are all those who (u)(AO)long for Him.
18 Therefore the Lord is waiting to show you mercy,and is rising up to show you compassion,(R)for the Lord is a just God.All who wait patiently for Him are happy.
18 "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."
The Lord Will Heal His People's Wounds
19 You will live in Zion, in Jerusalem. You will not cry anymore. Jehovah will certainly have pity on you when you cry for help. As soon as he hears you, he will answer you.
19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
19 (v)O people in Zion, (AP)inhabitant in Jerusalem, you will (AQ)weep no longer. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears it, He will (AR)answer you.
19 For you people will live on Zion in Jerusalem and will never cry again. He will show favor to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears, He will answer you.
19 Indeed, you people who live in Zion and in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious the LORD will be to you at the sound of your cry! As soon as he hears it, he will answer you.
20 Jehovah may give you troubles and hardships. But your Teacher (Grand Instructor) will no longer be hidden from you. You will see your Teacher with your own eyes.
20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
20 Although the Lord has given you (AS)bread of privation and water of oppression, He, your Teacher will no longer (AT)hide Himself, but your eyes will behold your Teacher.
20 The Lord will give you meager bread and water during oppression,(S) but your Teacher(c) will not hide Himself(d) any longer. Your eyes will see your Teacher,(e)
20 And although the LORD gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers won't hide themselves anymore, but your own eyes will see your teachers.
21 You will hear a voice behind you say: This is the way. Walk in it, whether it turns to the right or to the left.
21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
21 Your ears will hear a word behind you, “(w)This is the (AU)way, walk in it,” whenever you (AV)turn to the right or to the left.
21 and whenever you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: “This is the way. Walk in it.”(T)
21 And whether you turn to the right or turn to the left, your ears will hear a message behind you: "This is the way, walk in it."
22 Then you will dishonor your silver-plated idols and your gold-covered statues. You will throw them away like clothing ruined by stains. You will say to them: Get out!
22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.
22 And you will defile your graven (AW)images overlaid with silver, and your molten (AX)images plated with gold. You will scatter them as an impure thing, and say to (x)them, “(AY)Be gone!”
22 Then you will defile your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, and call them filth.
22 Then you will defile your carved idols that are overlaid with silver and your images plated with gold. You'll throw them away like disgusting objects and say to them, "Away with you!"
23 Jehovah will give you rain for the seed that you plant in the ground, and the food that the ground provides will be rich and nourishing. When that day comes, your cattle will graze in large pastures.
23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.
23 Then He will (AZ)give you rain for (y)the seed which you will sow in the ground, and bread from the yield of the ground, and it will be (z)rich and (aa)plenteous; on that day (BA)your livestock will graze in a roomy pasture.
23 Then He will send rain for your seed that you have sown in the ground, and the food, the produce of the ground, will be rich and plentiful. On that day your cattle will graze in open pastures.(U)
23 He will also provide rain for your seed that you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the ground will be rich and abundant. At that time, your cattle will graze in broad meadows,
24 The cattle and the donkeys that work the soil will eat a mixture of food that has been winnowed with forks and shovels.
24 The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.
24 Also the oxen and the donkeys which work the ground will eat salted fodder, which (ab)has been (BB)winnowed with shovel and fork.
24 The oxen and donkeys that work the ground will eat salted fodder scattered with winnowing shovel(V) and fork.
24 and oxen and donkeys that work the ground will eat seasoned fodder that workers will winnow with shovels and forks.
25 Brooks and streams will be on every lofty mountain and every high hill. When the day of the great slaughter comes, towers will fall.
25 And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
25 On every lofty mountain and on (BC)every high hill there will be (ac)streams running with water on the day of the great (BD)slaughter, when the towers fall.
25 Streams flowing with water will be on every high mountain and every raised hill on the day of great slaughter when the towers fall.
25 And on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks and canals running with water on the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
26 Then the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun. The light of the sun will be seven times as strong, like the light of seven days. When that day comes, Jehovah will bandage his people's injuries and heal the wounds he inflicted.
26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
26 (BE)The light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day (BF)the Lord binds up the (BG)fracture of His people and (BH)heals the bruise (ad)He has inflicted.
26 The moonlight will be as bright as the sunlight, and the sunlight will be seven times brighter(W)—like the light of seven days—on the day(X) that the Lord bandages His people’s injuries and heals the wounds He inflicted.(Y)
26 Moreover, the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the sun's light will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven full days, when the LORD binds up the bruises of his people and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.
Judgment Against Assyria
27 The name of Jehovah is going to come from far away. His anger is burning. His burden is heavy. His lips are filled with fury. His tongue is like a devouring flame.
27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
27 Behold, (BI)the name of the Lord comes from a (ae)remote place;(BJ)Burning is His anger and (af)dense is His (ag)smoke;His lips are filled with (BK)indignationAnd His tongue is like a (BL)consuming fire;
27 Look, Yahweh(f) comes from far away,His anger burning and heavy with smoke.(g)His lips are full of fury,and His tongue is like a consuming fire.
27 See, the name of the LORD comes from far away, burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke; his lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a devouring fire.
28 His breath is like an overflowing stream. It raises neck high and sifts the nations with a sieve of destruction. It places a bit in the mouths of the people to lead them astray.
28 And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.
28 His (BM)breath is like an overflowing torrent,Which (BN)reaches to the neck,To (BO)shake the nations back and forth in a (ah)sieve,And to put in the jaws of the peoples (BP)the bridle which (ai)leads to ruin.
28 His breath is like an overflowing torrent(Z)that rises to the neck.(AA)He comes to sift the nations in a sieve of destructionand to put a bridle on the jaws of the peoplesto lead them astray.(AB)
28 His breath is like an overflowing torrent, and it rises right up to the neck, to shake the nations in the sieve of destruction, and to place in the jaws of the nations a bit that leads them astray.
29 You will sing a song like the song you sing on a festival night. Your hearts will be happy like someone going out with a flute on the way to Jehovah's mountain, to the rock of Israel.
29 Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.
29 You will have (aj)songs as in the night when you keep the festival,And gladness of heart as when one marches to the sound of the flute,To go to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel.
29 Your singing will be like thaton the night of a holy festival,and your heart will rejoicelike one who walks to the music of a flute,going up to the mountain of the Lord,to the Rock of Israel.(AC)
29 You will have songs as on nights when people celebrate a holy festival, and gladness of heart, as when they set out with flutes to go to the LORD's mountain, to the Rock of Israel.
30 Jehovah will make his majestic voice heard. He will come with all his might, with furious anger, with firestorms, windstorms, rainstorms, and hailstones.
30 And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.
30 And the Lord will cause (ak)His voice of authority to be heard,And the (al)descending of His arm to be seen in fierce anger,And in the flame of a consuming fireIn cloudburst, downpour and hailstones.
30 And the Lord will make the splendor of His voice heardand reveal His arm(AD) striking in angry wrathand a flame of consuming fire,in driving rain, a torrent, and hailstones.
30 And the LORD will make heard yes, he will make heard his majestic voice, and make his arm seen descending in raging anger and in a flame of consuming fire, with a cloudburst, thunderstorm and hailstones.
31 The people of Assyria will be shattered at the sound of Jehovah's voice. He will strike them with his rod.
31 For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.
31 Assyria will be shattered by the voice of the Lord.He will strike with a rod.
31 Indeed, the Assyrians will be shattered at the LORD's voice, when he strikes them with his scepter.
32 To the sound of tambourines and lyres, Jehovah will pound on them. He will fight them in battle, swinging his fists (displaying his power).
32 And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the LORD shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it.
32 And every (am)blow of the (an)(BT)rod of punishment,Which the Lord will lay on him,Will be with the music of (BU)tambourines and lyres;And in battles, (BV)brandishing weapons, He will fight them.
32 And every stroke of the appointed(h) staffthat the Lord brings down on himwill be to the sound of tambourines and lyres;He will fight against him with brandished weapons.
32 And every stroke of his punishing rod that the LORD brings down on them will be to the sound of tambourines and harps, as he fights against her in battle with a brandished arm.
33 Topheth was prepared long ago. It was made ready for the king. It was made deep and wide and piled high with plenty of burning logs. Jehovah's breath will be like a flood of burning sulfur, setting it on fire.
33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
33 For (ao)(BW)Topheth has long been ready,Indeed, it has been prepared for the king.He has made it deep and large,(ap)A pyre of fire with plenty of wood;The (BX)breath of the Lord, like a torrent of (BY)brimstone, sets it afire.
33 Indeed! Topheth has been ready(AE)for the king for a long time now.Its funeral pyre is deep and wide,with plenty of fire and wood.The breath of the Lord,(AF) like a torrent of brimstone,kindles it.
33 For the Fire Pit has long been prepared; truly it is for the king; it will indeed be made ready. And its pyre will be deep and wide, with abundant fire and wood. Like a stream of burning sulfur, the breath of the LORD will set it ablaze.