 1 Hear the Word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2 Thus says the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified at the signs of the heavens. For the nations are terrified at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain. For one cuts a tree out of the forest with the axe, the work of the hands of the workman. 4 They adorn it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and hammers, so that it will not move. 5 They are like a rounded post, and they cannot speak. They must surely be lifted, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them. For they cannot do evil nor good, for it is not in them. 6 There is none like you, O Lord. You are great, and your name is great in might. 7 Who would not fear you, O King of nations? For fear belongs to you, because among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like you. 8 But they are all at once foolish and animal like. The tree is an example of vanities. 9 Silver beaten into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the goldsmith. Violet and purple is their clothing. They are all the work of skillful ones. 10 But the Lord is the true God, He is the living God, and the everlasting King. At His wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to stand His fury. 11 So you shall say to them, The gods who have not made the heavens and the earth, they shall perish from the earth and from under these heavens. 12 He has made the earth by His power. He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by His judgment. 13 When He utters His voice, there is a noise of many waters in the heavens. He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings with rain, and brings forth the wind out of His treasures. 14 Every man is stupid for lack of knowledge. Every refiner is put to shame by the graven image. For his molten image is a lie, and no breath is in them. 15 They are vanity, the work of delusion. In the time of their judgment they shall perish. 16 The Portion of Jacob is not like them. For He is the maker of all things. And Israel is the rod of His inheritance. The Lord of hosts is His name. 17 Gather up your bundle from the ground, you who live under the siege. 18 For thus says the Lord, Behold, I will sling out the people of the land at this time, and will distress them, so that they may find me. 19 Woe to me for my breaking. My wound is grievous. But I said, Truly this is a malady and I must bear it. 20 My tabernacle is ravaged and all my cords are broken. My sons went away from me and they are not. There is none to stretch out my tabernacle any more, and to set up my curtains. 21 For the pastors have become stupid and have not sought the Lord. Therefore, they will not be blessed and all their flocks will be scattered. 22 Behold, the noise of the rumor has come and a great commotion out of the north country to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a den of jackals. 23 O Lord, I know that the way of a man does not belong to man. It is not in man who walks to direct his steps. 24 O Lord, correct me, but with judgment. Not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. 25 Pour out your fury on the nations who do not know you and on the families who do not call on your name. For they have eaten up Jacob and have devoured him and have destroyed him and have made his dwelling desolate.
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