But what are these that flee here like clouds, and as the doves flying to their windows?

The spirit of the LORD God is with me, for the LORD hath anointed me, and sent me to preach good tidings unto the poor: that I might bind up the wounded hearts, that I might preach deliverance to the captive, and open the prison to them that are bound;

They shall build the long rough wildernesses, and set up the old desert. They shall repair the waste places, and such as have been void throughout many generations.

And therefore I am joyful in the LORD, and my soul rejoiceth in my God. For he shall put upon me the garment of salvation, and cover me with the mantle of righteousness. He shall deck me like a bridegroom, and as a bride that hath her apparel upon her.

For like as the ground bringeth forth fruit, and as the garden shooteth forth seed; So shall the LORD God cause righteousness and the fear of God to flourish forth before all the Heathen.

For Zion's sake therefore will I not hold my tongue, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not cease: until their righteousness break forth as a shining light, and their salvation as a burning lamp.

From this time forth thou shalt never be called the forsaken, and thy land shall no more be called the wilderness. But thou shalt be called Hephzibah, that is, my beloved; and thy land Beulah, that is, a married woman: for the LORD loveth thee, and thy land shall be inhabited.

And like as a young man taketh a daughter to marriage, so shall God marry himself unto thy sons. And as a bridegroom is glad of his bride, so shall God rejoice over thee.

Behold, the LORD will make it known unto the ends of the world. And say ye unto the daughter of Zion, "Behold, he that is thy saviour cometh and his reward with him and his work before him.

What is he, this that cometh from Edom, with stained red clothes of Bozrah, which is so costly cloth, and cometh in so nimbly with all his strength? "I am he that teacheth righteousness, and am of power to help."

Wherefore then is thy clothing red, and thy raiment like his that treadeth in the winepress?

For that day of vengeance that I have taken in hand, and the year of my deliverance, is come.

I will declare the goodness of the LORD, yea and the praise of the LORD, for all that he hath given us; for the great good that he hath done for Israel, which he hath given them of his own favour, and according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.

Yet remembered he the old time of Moses and his people: How he brought them from the water of the sea, as a shepherd doth with his sheep; how he had given his holy spirit among them;

how he led them in the deep, as a horse is led in the plain, that they should not stumble.

The spirit of the LORD led them as a tame beast goeth in the field. Thus, O God, hast thou led thy people, to make thyself a glorious name withal.

Look down then from heaven, and behold the dwelling place of thy Sanctuary and thy glory. How is it that thy jealousy, thy strength, the multitude of thy mercies and thy loving-kindness, will not be entreated of us?

Yet art thou our father: For Abraham knoweth us not, neither is Israel acquainted with us. But thou LORD art our father and redeemer, and thy name is everlasting.

O LORD wherefore hast thou led us out of thy way? Wherefore hast thou hardened our hearts, that we fear thee not? Be at one with us again, for thy servants' sake that are of the generation of thine heritage.

And we are become even as we were from the beginning: but thou art not their LORD, for they have not called upon thy name.

like as at a hot fire; that the malicious might boil away, as the water doth upon the fire. Whereby thy name might be known among thine enemies, and that the Gentiles might tremble before thee.

Thou helpest him that doth right with cheerfulness, and them that think upon thy ways. But lo, thou art angry: for we offend, and have been ever in sin, and there is not one whole.

We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags, stained with the flux of a woman: we fall every and each one as the leaf, for our sins carry us away like the wind.

There is no man that calleth upon thy name, that standeth up to take hold by thee. Therefore hidest thou thy face from us and consumest us, because of our sins.

The cities of thy Sanctuary lie waste: Zion is a wilderness, and Jerusalem a desert.

Our holy house which is our beauty, where our fathers praised thee, is burnt up: yea, all our commodities and pleasures are wasted away.

Wilt thou not be intreated, LORD, for all this? Wilt thou hold thy peace, and scourge us so sore?

To a people that is ever defying me to my face. They make their oblations in gardens, and their smoke upon altars of brick;

they lurk among the graves, and lie in the dens all night. They eat swine flesh, and unclean broth is in their vessels.

Behold, it is written before my face, and shall not be forgotten, but recompensed. I shall reward it them into their bosom:

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD: like as when one would gather holy grapes, men say unto him, "Break it not off, for it is holy," even so will I do also for my servants' sakes, that I will not destroy them all.

But as for you, ye are they that have forsaken the LORD, and forgotten my holy hill. Ye have set up an altar to Fortune, and given rich drink offerings unto the planets.

Whoso rejoiceth upon earth, shall rejoice in the true God: And whoso sweareth upon earth, shall swear in the true God. For the old enmity shall be forgotten, and taken away out of my sight.

For lo, I shall make a new heaven, and a new earth. And as for the old, they shall never be thought upon, nor kept in mind:

There shall never be child nor old man, that have not their full days. But when the child cometh to a hundred years old, it shall die. And if he that is a hundred years of age do wrong, he shall be cursed.

Thus sayeth the LORD: Heaven is my seat, and the earth is my footstool. Where shall now the house stand, that ye build unto me? And where shall be the place, that I will dwell in?

As for these things, my hand hath made them all, and they are all created, sayeth the LORD. Which of them shall I then regard? Even him that is of a lowly troubled spirit, and standeth in awe of my works.

For whoso slayeth an ox for me, doth me so great dishonour, as he that killeth a man. He that killeth a sheep for me, choketh a dog. He that bringeth me meat offerings, offereth swine's blood. Who so maketh me a memorial of incense, praiseth the thing that is unright. Yet take they such ways in hand, and their soul delighteth in these abominations.

For as touching the city and the temple, I hear the voice of the LORD, that will reward, and recompense his enemies:

like as when a wife bringeth forth a man child, before she suffer the pain of the birth and anguish of the travail.

Who ever heard or saw such things? Doth the ground bear in one day? Or are the people born all at once, as Zion beareth her sons?

For like as a child is comforted of his mother, so shall I comfort you, and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

Such as have made themselves holy and clean in the gardens, and those that have eaten swine's flesh, mice, and other abominations, shall be taken away together, sayeth the LORD.

and shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD: out of all people, upon horses, chariots and horse litters, upon Mules and carts to Jerusalem my holy hill, sayeth the LORD, like as the children of Israel bring the offering in clean vessels to the house of the LORD.

For like as the new heaven and the new earth which I will make, shall be fast established by me, sayeth the LORD, So shall your seed and your name continue.

They thought not in their hearts, 'Where have we left the LORD, that brought us out of the land of Egypt? That led us through the wilderness; through a desert and rough land; through a dry and deadly land; yea a land that no man had gone through, and wherein no man had dwelt?'

The priests themselves said not once, 'Where is the LORD?' They that have the law in their hands, know me not: The shepherds offend against me. The Prophets do service unto Baal, and follow such things as shall bring them no profit.

"Is Israel a bond servant, or one of the household? Why is he then so spoiled?

Why do they roar and cry then upon him, as a lion? They have made his land waste, his cities are so burnt up, that there is no man dwelling in them.

Thine own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy turning away shall condemn thee: that thou mayest know and understand, how evil and hurtful a thing it is, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and not feared him, sayeth the LORD God of Hosts.

and thy wantonness is like a wild Ass, that useth the wilderness, and that snuffeth and bloweth at his will. Who can tame thee? All they that seek thee, shall not fail, but find thee in thy own uncleanness.

Like as a thief that is taken with the deed cometh to shame, even so is the house of Israel come to confusion: the common people, their kings and rulers, their priests and prophets.

For they say to a stock, 'Thou art my father,' and to a stone, 'Thou hast begotten me.' Yea, they have turned their back upon me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble, when they say, 'Stand up and help us!'

It is but lost labour, that I smite your children, for they receive not my correction. Your own sword destroyeth your prophets, like a devouring lion.

Doth a maiden forget her raiment, or a bride her stomacher? But as for my people, they have forgotten me for days innumerable.

Upon thy wings is found the blood of poor and innocent people; and that not in corners and holes only, but openly in all these places.

O how evil will it be for thee to abide it, when it shall be known how oft thou hast gone backward? For thou shalt be confounded as well of Egypt, as thou wast of the Assyrians.

Commonly, when a man putteth away his wife, and she goeth from him, and marrieth with another, then the question is: should he resort unto her any more after that? Is not this field then defiled and unclean? But as for thee, thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet turn again to me, sayeth the LORD.

Lift up thine eyes on every side, and look, if thou be not defiled. Thou hast waited for them in the streets, and as a murderer in the wilderness. through thy whoredoms and shameful blasphemies, is the land defiled.

This is the cause that the rain and evening dew hath ceased. Thou hast gotten thee a whore's forehead, and canst not be ashamed.

Hast thou seen also, when she had done all this, how I said unto her that she should turn again unto me, and yet she is not returned? Judah, that unfaithful sister of hers also saw this:

Nevertheless, her unfaithful sister Judah is not turned unto me again with her whole heart, but feignedly, sayeth the LORD."

And the LORD said unto me, "The shrinking Israel is more righteous than the unfaithful Judah:

But like as a woman faileth her lover, so are ye unfaithful unto me, O ye house of Israel, sayeth the LORD.'"

So do we also sleep in our confusion, and shame covereth us: for we and our fathers from our youth up unto this day have sinned against the LORD our God, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God."

For the spoiler of the Gentiles is broken up from his place, as a lion out of his den, that he may make the land waste, and destroy the cities, so that no man may dwell therein.

For lo, he cometh down like as a cloud, and his chariots are like a stormy wind: his horsemen are swifter than the Eagle. Woe unto us, for we are destroyed.

They shall give them warning in every place, like as the watchmen in the field. For they have provoked me to wrath, sayeth the LORD.

Thy ways and thy thoughts have brought thee unto this. This is thy own wickedness and disobedience, that hath possessed thine heart.

"Ah, my belly! Ah, my belly!" shalt thou cry, "how is my heart so sore?" My heart panteth within me, I cannot be still, for I have heard the crying of the trumpets, and peals of war.

"Nevertheless this shall come upon them because my people is become foolish, and hath utterly no understanding. They are the children of foolishness, and without any discretion. To do evil, they have wit enough: but to do well, they have no wisdom."

I have looked upon the earth, and see, it is waste and void. I looked toward heaven, and it had no shine.

For, methink I hear a noise, like as it were of a woman travailing, or one laboring of her first child: Even the voice of the daughter Zion, that casteth out her arms, and swooneth, saying, "Ah woe is me! How sore vexed and faint is my heart, for them that are slain?"

Where as thou, O LORD, lookest only upon faith and truth. Thou hast scourged them, but they took no repentance: thou hast corrected them for amendment, but they refused thy correction. They made their faces harder than stone, and would not amend.

Wherefore a lion out of the wood shall hurt them, and a wolf in the evening shall destroy them. The cat of the mountain shall lie lurking by their cities, to tare in pieces all them that come thereout. For their offenses are many, and their departing away is great.

Should I not correct this, sayeth the LORD? Should I not be avenged of every people, that is like unto this?

They have denied the LORD, and said, 'It is not he. Tush, there shall no misfortune come upon us; we shall see neither sword nor hunger.'

As for the warning of the Prophets, it is but wind; yea, there is not the word of God in them: such things shall happen unto themselves."

Lo, I will bring a people upon you from far, O house of Israel, sayeth the LORD; a mighty people, an old people, a people whose speech thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.

This people shall eat up thy fruit and thy meat; yea, they shall devour thy sons and thy daughters, thy sheep and thy bullocks. They shall eat up thy grapes and figs. As for thy strong and well-fenced cities, wherein thou didst trust, they shall destroy them with the sword.

But if they say, 'Wherefore doth the LORD our God all this unto us?' Then answer them, 'Because, that like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your own land, even so shall ye serve other gods also in a strange land!'"

They think not in their hearts, 'O let us fear the LORD our God, that giveth us rain, early and late, when need is: which keepeth ever still the harvest for us yearly.'

And like as a net is full of birds, so are their houses full of that which they have gotten with falsity and deceit. Hereof cometh their great substance and riches,

Should I not punish these things, sayeth the LORD? Should I not be avenged of all such people as these be?"

"Make battle against her!" shall they say. "Arise, let us go up, while it is yet day!" "Alas, the day goeth away, and the night shadows fall down!"

"Arise, let us go up by night, and destroy her strongholds!"

For thus hath the LORD of Hosts commanded: "Hew down her trees, and set up bulwarks against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished, for in her is all maliciousness.

Like as a conduit aboundeth in water, even so this city aboundeth in wickedness. Robbery and unrighteousness is heard in her, sorrow and wounds are ever there in my sight.

For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, "The residue of Israel shall be gathered, as the remnant of grapes. And therefore turn thine hand again into the basket, like the grape gatherer."

And beside that, they heal the hurt of my people with sweet words, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace at all.

with bows and with darts shall they be weaponed. It is a rough and fierce people, an unmerciful people: their voice roareth like the sea, they ride upon horses well appointed to the battle against thee, O daughter Zion!"

Then shall this cry be heard, "Our arms are feeble! Heaviness and sorrow is come upon us, as upon a woman travailing with child!

Wherefore, gird a sackcloth about thee, O daughter of my people; sprinkle thyself with ashes, mourn and weep bitterly, as upon the only beloved son: for the destroyer shall suddenly fall upon us.

The bellows are burnt in the fire, the lead is consumed, the melter melteth in vain, for the evil is not taken away from them.

Trust not in false lying words, saying, 'Here is the temple of the LORD, here is the temple of the LORD, here is the temple of the LORD.'

What? Think you this house that beareth my name, is a den of thieves? And these things are not done privily, but before mine eyes, sayeth the LORD.

And therefore even as I have done to Shiloh, so will I do to this house that my name is given unto, and that ye put your trust in: yea, unto the place that I have given to you and your fathers.

And I shall thrust you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren the whole seed of Ephraim.

"Therefore thou shalt not pray for this people; thou shalt neither give thanks, nor bid prayer for them: thou shalt make no intercession to me for them for in no wise will I hear thee.

Therefore shalt thou say unto them, 'This is the people, that neither heareth the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth his correction. Faithfulness and truth is clean rooted out of their mouth.