Hear ye the word
which the LORD
speaketh
unto you, O house
of Israel
:
Thus saith the LORD
, Learn
not the way
of the heathen
, and be not dismayed
at the signs
of heaven
; for the heathen
are dismayed
at them
.
For the customs of the people
are vain
: for one cutteth
a tree
out of the forest
, the work
of the hands
of the workman
, with the axe
.
They deck it with silver
and with gold
; they fasten
it with nails
and with hammers
, that it move
not.
They are upright as the palm tree
, but speak
not: they must needs
be borne
, because they cannot go
. Be not afraid
of them; for they cannot do evil
, neither also is it in them to do good
.
Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great
, and thy name
is great
in might
.
Who would not fear thee, O King
of nations
? for to thee doth it appertain
: forasmuch as among all the wise
men of the nations
, and in all their kingdoms
, there is none like unto thee.
But they are altogether brutish
and foolish
: the stock
is a doctrine
of vanities
.
Silver spread into plates
is brought
from Tarshish
, and gold
from Uphaz
, the work
of the workman
, and of the hands
of the founder
: blue
and purple
is their clothing
: they are all the work
of cunning
men .
But the LORD is the true
God
, he is the living
God
, and an everlasting
king
: at his wrath
the earth
shall tremble
, and the nations
shall not be able to abide
his indignation
.
Thus shall ye say
unto them, The gods
that have not
made
the heavens
and the earth
, even they shall perish
from the earth
, and from under
these
heavens
.
He hath made the earth
by his power
, he hath established
the world
by his wisdom
, and hath stretched out
the heavens
by his discretion
.
When he uttereth his voice
, there is a multitude
of waters
in the heavens
, and he causeth the vapours
to ascend
from the ends
of the earth
; he maketh
lightnings
with rain
, and bringeth forth
the wind
out of his treasures
.
Every man is brutish
in his knowledge
: every founder
is confounded
by the graven image
: for his molten image
is falsehood
, and there is no breath
in them.
They are vanity, and the work
of errors
: in the time
of their visitation
they shall perish
.
The portion of Jacob
is not like them: for he is the former
of all things ; and Israel
is the rod
of his inheritance
: The LORD
of hosts
is his name
.
Gather up thy wares
out of the land
, O inhabitant
of the fortress
.
For thus saith the LORD
, Behold, I will sling
out the inhabitants
of the land
at this once
, and will distress
them, that they may find
it so .
Woe is me for my hurt
! my wound
is grievous
: but I said
, Truly
this is a grief
, and I must bear
it.
My tabernacle is spoiled
, and all my cords
are broken
: my children
are gone forth
of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth
my tent
any more, and to set up
my curtains
.
For the pastors are become brutish
, and have not sought
the LORD
: therefore they shall not prosper
, and all their flocks
shall be scattered
.
Behold, the noise of the bruit
is come
, and a great
commotion
out of the north
country
, to make
the cities
of Judah
desolate
, and a den
of dragons
.
O LORD, I know
that the way
of man
is not in himself: it is not in man
that walketh
to direct
his steps
.
O LORD, correct
me, but with judgment
; not in thine anger
, lest thou bring me to nothing
.
Pour out thy fury
upon the heathen
that know
thee not, and upon the families
that call
not on thy name
: for they have eaten up
Jacob
, and devoured
him, and consumed
him, and have made his habitation
desolate
.