1 “ It is bad for the children who will not obey!” says the Lord, “They act on a plan that is not Mine, and make an agreement that is not of My Spirit, and so add sin to sin.

“Woe to the rebellious children,” says the Lord, “Who take counsel, but not of Me, And who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, That they may add sin to sin;

2 T hey go down to Egypt without asking Me. They want Pharaoh to keep them safe and they look for a safe place in the shadow of Egypt.

Who walk to go down to Egypt, And have not asked My advice, To strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, And to trust in the shadow of Egypt!

3 S o the safe place of Pharaoh will be your shame. You will be brought low in the safe place in the shadow of Egypt.

Therefore the strength of Pharaoh Shall be your shame, And trust in the shadow of Egypt Shall be your humiliation.

4 F or their rulers are at Zoan, and leaders come to Hanes.

For his princes were at Zoan, And his ambassadors came to Hanes.

5 E veryone will be ashamed because of a people who cannot be of help to them. They do not bring help or riches, but only shame.”

They were all ashamed of a people who could not benefit them, Or be help or benefit, But a shame and also a reproach.”

6 T he special word about the wild animals of the Negev: They go through a land of trouble and suffering, where there are male and female lions, deadly snakes and flying snakes. They carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys and camels, to a people who cannot be of help to them.

The burden against the beasts of the South. Through a land of trouble and anguish, From which came the lioness and lion, The viper and fiery flying serpent, They will carry their riches on the backs of young donkeys, And their treasures on the humps of camels, To a people who shall not profit;

7 E gypt’s help is of no worth and is empty. So I have called her Rahab who has done nothing. The People Who Do Not Obey

For the Egyptians shall help in vain and to no purpose. Therefore I have called her Rahab-Hem-Shebeth. A Rebellious People

8 N ow go and write it down in front of them. And write it in a book, that it may be seen for all time to come.

Now go, write it before them on a tablet, And note it on a scroll, That it may be for time to come, Forever and ever:

9 F or these people will not obey. They are not true sons. They will not listen to the teaching of the Lord.

That this is a rebellious people, Lying children, Children who will not hear the law of the Lord;

10 T hey say to the men who tell what will happen in the future, “Do not see special dreams.” They say to those who speak for God, “You must not tell to us what is right. Speak pleasing things to us, tell us what we like to hear.

Who say to the seers, “Do not see,” And to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us right things; Speak to us smooth things, prophesy deceits.

11 G et out of the way. Turn aside from the path. We do not want to hear any more about the Holy One of Israel.”

Get out of the way, Turn aside from the path, Cause the Holy One of Israel To cease from before us.”

12 S o the Holy One of Israel says, “Because you have turned away from this Word, and have put your trust in a power that makes it hard for others and fools them,

Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel: “Because you despise this word, And trust in oppression and perversity, And rely on them,

13 t his sin will be to you like a high wall, ready to break and fall apart. It will fall all at once.

Therefore this iniquity shall be to you Like a breach ready to fall, A bulge in a high wall, Whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant.

14 I ts fall is like the breaking of a pot-maker’s jar. It is broken in so many pieces that a piece will not be found big enough to pick up hot coals from the fire or to get water from the well.”

And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel, Which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments A shard to take fire from the hearth, Or to take water from the cistern.”

15 T he Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, “In turning away from sin and in rest, you will be saved. Your strength will come by being quiet and by trusting.” But you would not.

For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not,

16 Y ou said, “No, we will go away fast on horses.” So you will go away in a hurry! You say, “We will go on fast horses.” So those who come to take you will be fast.

And you said, “No, for we will flee on horses”— Therefore you shall flee! And, “We will ride on swift horses ”— Therefore those who pursue you shall be swift!

17 O ne thousand will run away as one man stands up against them. You will all run away when five stand up against them, until you are like flags lifted up on a mountain top, like something special to see on a hill. Good Will Come to God’s People

One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, At the threat of five you shall flee, Till you are left as a pole on top of a mountain And as a banner on a hill. God Will Be Gracious

18 S o the Lord wants to show you kindness. He waits on high to have loving-pity on you. For the Lord is a God of what is right and fair. And good will come to all those who hope in Him.

Therefore the Lord will wait, that He may be gracious to you; And therefore He will be exalted, that He may have mercy on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; Blessed are all those who wait for Him.

19 O people in Zion who live in Jerusalem, you will cry no more. For sure He will show loving-kindness to you at the sound of your cry. When He hears it, He will answer you.

For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem; You shall weep no more. He will be very gracious to you at the sound of your cry; When He hears it, He will answer you.

20 T he Lord has given you the bread of trouble and water of suffering. But He, your Teacher, will not hide Himself any more. Your eyes will see your Teacher.

And though the Lord gives you The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore, But your eyes shall see your teachers.

21 Y our ears will hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left.

22 Y ou will take your sinful objects of worship, covered with silver and gold and will throw them away as an unclean cloth, and say to them, “Be gone!”

You will also defile the covering of your images of silver, And the ornament of your molded images of gold. You will throw them away as an unclean thing; You will say to them, “Get away!”

23 T hen He will give you rain for the seed you will plant in the ground. And He will give you bread from the grain from the ground. It will be good, and more than you need. In that day your cattle will eat in a large field.

Then He will give the rain for your seed With which you sow the ground, And bread of the increase of the earth; It will be fat and plentiful. In that day your cattle will feed In large pastures.

24 T he oxen and the donkeys which work the ground will eat salted grain, which has been spread out with certain tools.

Likewise the oxen and the young donkeys that work the ground Will eat cured fodder, Which has been winnowed with the shovel and fan.

25 O n every high mountain and on every high hill there will be rivers flowing with water in the day when many will be killed, when the towers fall.

There will be on every high mountain And on every high hill Rivers and streams of waters, In the day of the great slaughter, When the towers fall.

26 T he light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, the light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day the Lord takes care of the hurts of His people and heals the sores He has given them. God Will Punish Assyria

Moreover the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, And the light of the sun will be sevenfold, As the light of seven days, In the day that the Lord binds up the bruise of His people And heals the stroke of their wound. Judgment on Assyria

27 S ee, the name of the Lord comes from a far away place, with His anger burning, and with dark smoke rising. His lips are full of anger and His tongue is like a destroying fire.

Behold, the name of the Lord comes from afar, Burning with His anger, And His burden is heavy; His lips are full of indignation, And His tongue like a devouring fire.

28 H is breath is like a river flowing over, that comes up to the neck. It shakes the nations back and forth putting them through a test of pride. And it puts a piece of iron in the mouths of the people to lead them the wrong way.

His breath is like an overflowing stream, Which reaches up to the neck, To sift the nations with the sieve of futility; And there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, Causing them to err.

29 Y ou will have a song as in the night when you have a special holy supper. You will be glad in your heart as when one steps to the sound of the horn going to the mountain of the Lord, to the Rock of Israel.

You shall have a song As in the night when a holy festival is kept, And gladness of heart as when one goes with a flute, To come into the mountain of the Lord, To the Mighty One of Israel.

30 T he Lord will make His voice of great power heard. And He will let His arm be seen coming down in the destroying fire, hard rain, storm, and hailstones.

The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard, And show the descent of His arm, With the indignation of His anger And the flame of a devouring fire, With scattering, tempest, and hailstones.

31 T he Assyrians will be filled with fear at the voice of the Lord, when He punishes them with His power.

For through the voice of the Lord Assyria will be beaten down, As He strikes with the rod.

32 E very beat from the special stick of punishment which the Lord will give them will be to the sound of timbrels and of harps. He will fight them in battle with a strong arm.

And in every place where the staff of punishment passes, Which the Lord lays on him, It will be with tambourines and harps; And in battles of brandishing He will fight with it.

33 F or a place of fire has long been ready. Yes, it has been made ready for the king. It has been made deep and wide, with fire and much wood. The breath of the Lord starts the fire and it is like a river of sulphur.

For Tophet was established of old, Yes, for the king it is prepared. He has made it deep and large; Its pyre is fire with much wood; The breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, Kindles it.