The Hebrew Prophets

If the scroll is given to someone who can't read with the request, "Please read this," he says, "I can't read."

Then Adonai said: "Because these people approach me with empty words, and the honor they bestow on me is mere lip-service; while in fact they have distanced their hearts from me, and their 'fear of me' is just a mitzvah of human origin

therefore, I will have to keep shocking these people with astounding and amazing things, until the 'wisdom' of their 'wise ones' vanishes, and the 'discernment' of their 'discerning ones' is hidden away."

Woe to those who burrow down deep to hide their plans from ADONAI! They work in the dark and say to themselves, "Nobody sees us, nobody knows us."

How you turn things upside down! - Is the potter not better than the clay, Does something made say of its maker, "He didn't make me"? Does the product say of its producer, "He has no discernment"?

In but a little while the L'vanon will be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field regarded as a forest.

On that day the deaf will hear the words of a book, and out of gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.

The humble will again rejoice in ADONAI and the poor exult in the Holy One of Isra'el,

for the tyrant is now nothing, the scoffer is finished, and all alert to do evil are cut off

those whose words make a man out to be a sinner, those who set traps for the arbitrator at the city gate, and those who groundlessly deny justice to the one in the right.

Therefore, here are the words of ADONAI, who redeemed Avraham, concerning the house of Ya'akov: "Ya'akov will no longer be ashamed, no longer will his face grow pale.

When his descendants see the work of my hands among them, they will consecrate my name. Yes, they will consecrate the Holy one of Ya'akov and stand in awe of the God of Isra'el.

Those whose spirits stray will come to understand, and those who complain will learn their lesson.

"Woe to the rebellious children," says ADONAI. "They make plans, but the plans are not mine; they develop alliances, but not from my Spirit, in order to pile sin upon sin.

They go down to Egypt but don't consult me, seeking refuge in Pharaoh's protection, seeking shelter in Egypt's shadow.

But Pharaoh's protection will bring you shame, shelter in Egypt's shadow will lead to disgrace.

Though his princes are at Tzo'an, and his envoys have reached Hannes,

they all are disappointed with a people that doesn't help them, who give no assistance and no advantage, only disappointment and disgrace."

A prophecy about the animals in the Negev: In a land of trouble and anguish, of lionesses and roaring lions, of vipers and poisonous flying serpents, they carry their riches on donkeys' backs and their treasures on camels' humps to a people who will not help them.

For Egypt's help is worthless, pointless; so I call her "Arrogance Doing Nothing."

Now go, inscribe it on a tablet, write it for them in a scroll, so that on the final day it will be a witness forever and ever.

For this is a rebellious people; they are lying children, children who refuse to hear the Torah of ADONAI.

They say to the seers, "Do not see!" to those who have visions, "Do not tell us the visions you have as they really are; but flatter us, fabricate illusions!

Get out of the way! Leave the path! Rid us of the Holy One of Isra'el!"

Therefore here is what the Holy One of Isra'el says: "Because you reject this word, trust in extortion and rely on deceit,