The Hebrew Prophets

For your desolate places and ruins and your devastated land will be too cramped for those living in it; your devourers will be far away.

The day will come when the children born when you were mourning will say to you, "This place is too cramped for me! Give me room, so I can live!"

Then you will ask yourself, "Who fathered these for me? I've been mourning my children, alone, as an exile, wandering to and fro; so who has raised these? I was left alone, so where have these come from?"

Adonai ELOHIM answers: "I am beckoning to the nations, raising my banner for the peoples. They will bring your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.

Kings will be your foster-fathers, their princesses your nurses. They will bow to you, face toward the earth, and lick the dust on your feet. Then you will know that I am ADONAI - those who wait for me will not be sorry."

But can booty be wrested from a warrior? Can a victor's captives be freed?

Here is ADONAI's answer: "Even a warrior's captives will be snatched away, and the booty of the fearful will be freed. I will fight those who fight you, and I will save your children.

I will feed those oppressing you with their own flesh; they will be drunk on their own blood as with wine. Then everyone will know that I, ADONAI, am your Savior and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Ya'akov."

ADONAI says: "Where is your mother's divorce document which I gave her when I divorced her? Or: to which of my creditors did I sell you? You were sold because of your sins; because of your crimes was your mother divorced.

Why was no one here when I came? Why, when I called, did nobody answer? Is my arm too short to redeem? Have I too little power to save? With my rebuke I dry up the sea; I turn rivers into desert, their fish rot for lack of water and they die of thirst;

I dress the heavens in black to mourn and make their covering sackcloth."

Adonai ELOHIM has given me the ability to speak as a man well taught, so that I, with my words, know how to sustain the weary. Each morning he awakens my ear to hear like those who are taught.

Adonai ELOHIM has opened my ear, and I neither rebelled nor turned away.

I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who plucked out my beard; I did not hide my face from insult and spitting.

For Adonai ELOHIM will help. This is why no insult can wound me. This is why I have set my face like flint, knowing I will not be put to shame.

My vindicator is close by; let whoever dares to accuse me appear with me in court! Let whoever has a case against me step forward!

Look, if Adonai ELOHIM helps me, who will dare to condemn me? Here, they are all falling apart like old, moth-eaten clothes.

Who among you fears ADONAI? Who obeys what his servant says? Even when he walks in the dark, without any light, he will trust in ADONAI's reputation and rely on his God.

But all of you who are lighting fires and arming yourselves with firebrands: go, walk in the flame of your own fire, among the firebrands you lit! From my hands this [fate] awaits you: you will lie down in torment.

"Listen to me, you pursuers of justice, you who seek ADONAI: consider the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were dug

consider Avraham your father and Sarah, who gave birth to you; in that I called him when he was only one person, then blessed him and made him many.

For ADONAI will comfort Tziyon, will comfort all her ruined places, will make her desert like 'Eden, her 'Aravah like the garden of ADONAI. Joy and gladness will be there, thanksgiving and the sound of music.

"Pay attention to me, my people! My nation, listen to me! For Torah will go out from me; I will calm them with my justice as a light for the peoples.

My righteousness is at hand, my salvation goes out, my arms will judge the peoples. The coastlands are putting their hope in me, trusting in my arm.

"Raise your eyes toward the skies, look at the earth below. The skies will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like clothing. Those living on it will die like flies; but my salvation will be forever, and my justice will never end.