26 (A)“When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, if they pray toward this place and acknowledge your name and turn from their sin, when you afflict[a] them,

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 6:26 Septuagint, Vulgate; Hebrew answer

26 “When the heavens are shut up and there is no rain(A) because your people have sinned against you, and when they pray toward this place and give praise to your name and turn from their sin because you have afflicted them,

Read full chapter

23 And (A)the heavens over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you shall be iron.

Read full chapter

23 The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron.(A)

Read full chapter

17 then (A)the anger of the Lord will be kindled against you, and he (B)will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain, and the land will yield no fruit, and (C)you will perish quickly off the good land that the Lord is giving you.

Read full chapter

17 Then the Lord’s anger(A) will burn against you, and he will shut up(B) the heavens so that it will not rain and the ground will yield no produce,(C) and you will soon perish(D) from the good land the Lord is giving you.

Read full chapter

19 and I will break (A)the pride of your power, and I (B)will make your heavens like iron and your earth like bronze.

Read full chapter

19 I will break down your stubborn pride(A) and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.(B)

Read full chapter

They have the power (A)to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and (B)to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire.

Read full chapter

They have power to shut up the heavens(A) so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying;(B) and they have power to turn the waters into blood(C) and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want.

Read full chapter

(A)“Come to Bethel, and transgress;
    to (B)Gilgal, and multiply transgression;
(C)bring your (D)sacrifices every morning,
    your tithes every three days;
offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of (E)that which is leavened,
    and proclaim (F)freewill offerings, publish them;
    (G)for so you love to do, O people of Israel!”
declares the Lord God.

Israel Has Not Returned to the Lord

“I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,
    and (H)lack of bread in all your places,
(I)yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.

“I also (J)withheld the rain from you
    when there were yet three months to the harvest;
(K)I would send rain on one city,
    and send no rain on another city;
one field would have rain,
    and the field on which it did not rain would wither;
so two or three cities (L)would wander to another city
    to drink water, and would not be satisfied;
(M)yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.

(N)“I struck you with blight and mildew;
    your many gardens and your vineyards,
    your fig trees and your olive trees (O)the locust devoured;
(P)yet you did not return to me,”
declares the Lord.

Read full chapter

“Go to Bethel(A) and sin;
    go to Gilgal(B) and sin yet more.
Bring your sacrifices every morning,(C)
    your tithes(D) every three years.[a](E)
Burn leavened bread(F) as a thank offering
    and brag about your freewill offerings(G)
boast about them, you Israelites,
    for this is what you love to do,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.

“I gave you empty stomachs in every city
    and lack of bread in every town,
    yet you have not returned to me,”
declares the Lord.(H)

“I also withheld(I) rain from you
    when the harvest was still three months away.
I sent rain on one town,
    but withheld it from another.(J)
One field had rain;
    another had none and dried up.
People staggered from town to town for water(K)
    but did not get enough(L) to drink,
    yet you have not returned(M) to me,”
declares the Lord.(N)

“Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards,
    destroying them with blight and mildew.(O)
Locusts(P) devoured your fig and olive trees,(Q)
    yet you have not returned(R) to me,”
declares the Lord.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Amos 4:4 Or days

15 (A)Blow the trumpet in Zion;
    (B)consecrate a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
16     gather the people.
(C)Consecrate the congregation;
    assemble the elders;
(D)gather the children,
    even nursing infants.
(E)Let the bridegroom leave his room,
    and the bride her chamber.

17 (F)Between the (G)vestibule and the (H)altar
    (I)let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep
and say, “Spare your people, O Lord,
    and make not your heritage a reproach,
    a byword among the nations.[a]
(J)Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?’”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joel 2:17 Or reproach, that the nations should rule over them

15 Blow the trumpet(A) in Zion,(B)
    declare a holy fast,(C)
    call a sacred assembly.(D)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate(E) the assembly;
bring together the elders,(F)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom(G) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister(H) before the Lord,
    weep(I) between the portico and the altar.(J)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,(K)
    a byword(L) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?(M)’”

Read full chapter

A Call to Repentance

13 (A)Put on sackcloth and lament, (B)O priests;
    (C)wail, O ministers of the altar.
Go in, (D)pass the night in sackcloth,
    (E)O ministers of my God!
(F)Because grain offering and drink offering
    are withheld from the house of your God.

14 (G)Consecrate a fast;
    (H)call a solemn assembly.
Gather (I)the elders
    and (J)all the inhabitants of the land
to the house of the Lord your God,
    and cry out to the Lord.

15 Alas for the day!
(K)For the day of the Lord is near,
    and as destruction from the Almighty[a] it comes.
16 Is not the food cut off
    before our eyes,
(L)joy and gladness
    from the house of our God?

17 (M)The seed shrivels under the clods;[b]
    the storehouses are desolate;
the granaries are torn down
    because (N)the grain has dried up.
18 How (O)the beasts groan!
    The herds of cattle are perplexed
because there is no pasture for them;
    even the flocks of sheep suffer.[c]

19 To you, (P)O Lord, I call.
(Q)For fire has devoured
    the pastures of the wilderness,
(R)and flame has burned
    all the trees of the field.
20 Even the beasts of the field (S)pant for you
    because the water brooks are dried up,
(T)and fire has devoured
    the pastures of the wilderness.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joel 1:15 Destruction sounds like the Hebrew for Almighty
  2. Joel 1:17 The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain
  3. Joel 1:18 Or are made desolate

A Call to Lamentation

13 Put on sackcloth,(A) you priests, and mourn;
    wail, you who minister(B) before the altar.
Come, spend the night in sackcloth,
    you who minister before my God;
for the grain offerings and drink offerings(C)
    are withheld from the house of your God.
14 Declare a holy fast;(D)
    call a sacred assembly.
Summon the elders
    and all who live in the land(E)
to the house of the Lord your God,
    and cry out(F) to the Lord.(G)

15 Alas for that(H) day!
    For the day of the Lord(I) is near;
    it will come like destruction from the Almighty.[a](J)

16 Has not the food been cut off(K)
    before our very eyes—
joy and gladness(L)
    from the house of our God?(M)
17 The seeds are shriveled
    beneath the clods.[b](N)
The storehouses are in ruins,
    the granaries have been broken down,
    for the grain has dried up.
18 How the cattle moan!
    The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;(O)
    even the flocks of sheep are suffering.(P)

19 To you, Lord, I call,(Q)
    for fire(R) has devoured the pastures(S) in the wilderness
    and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.
20 Even the wild animals pant for you;(T)
    the streams of water have dried up(U)
    and fire has devoured the pastures(V) in the wilderness.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Joel 1:15 Hebrew Shaddai
  2. Joel 1:17 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

15 (A)I will return again to my place,
    until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face,
    and (B)in their distress earnestly seek me.

Israel and Judah Are Unrepentant

“Come, let us (C)return to the Lord;
    for (D)he has torn us, that he may heal us;
    he has struck us down, and (E)he will bind us up.

15 Then I will return to my lair(A)
    until they have borne their guilt(B)
    and seek my face(C)
in their misery(D)
    they will earnestly seek me.(E)

Israel Unrepentant

“Come, let us return(F) to the Lord.
He has torn us to pieces(G)
    but he will heal us;(H)
he has injured us
    but he will bind up our wounds.(I)

27 Again, (A)when a wicked person turns away from the wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his life. 28 Because he considered and turned away from all the transgressions that he had committed, he shall surely live; he shall not die. 29 Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, are my ways not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?

30 “Therefore (B)I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord God. (C)Repent and turn from all your transgressions, (D)lest iniquity be your ruin.[a] 31 (E)Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed, and (F)make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! (G)Why will you die, O house of Israel? 32 (H)For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Lord God; (I)so turn, and live.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 18:30 Or lest iniquity be your stumbling block

27 But if a wicked person turns away from the wickedness they have committed and does what is just and right, they will save their life.(A) 28 Because they consider all the offenses they have committed and turn away from them, that person will surely live; they will not die.(B) 29 Yet the Israelites say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ Are my ways unjust, people of Israel? Is it not your ways that are unjust?

30 “Therefore, you Israelites, I will judge each of you according to your own ways, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent!(C) Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall.(D) 31 Rid(E) yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart(F) and a new spirit. Why(G) will you die, people of Israel?(H) 32 For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent(I) and live!(J)

Read full chapter

13 (A)“Son of man, when a land sins against me (B)by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it and (C)break its supply[a] of bread and send famine upon it, and (D)cut off from it man and beast,

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 14:13 Hebrew staff

13 “Son of man, if a country sins(A) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply(B) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,(C)

Read full chapter

Famine, Sword, and Pestilence

14 The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning (A)the drought:

(B)“Judah mourns,
    and (C)her gates languish;
her people lament on the ground,
    and (D)the cry of Jerusalem goes up.
Her nobles send their servants for water;
    they come to the cisterns;
they find no water;
    they return with their vessels empty;
they are (E)ashamed and confounded
    and (F)cover their heads.
Because of the ground that is dismayed,
    since there is (G)no rain on the land,
the farmers are ashamed;
    they cover their heads.
Even (H)the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.
(I)The wild donkeys stand on the bare heights;
    they pant for air like jackals;
their eyes fail
    because there is no vegetation.

“Though our iniquities testify against us,
    act, O Lord, (J)for your name's sake;
(K)for our backslidings are many;
    (L)we have sinned against you.
(M)O you hope of Israel,
    its savior in time of trouble,
why should you be like a stranger in the land,
    like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night?
Why should you be like a man confused,
    (N)like a mighty warrior who cannot save?
Yet (O)you, O Lord, are in the midst of us,
    and (P)we are called by your name;
    (Q)do not leave us.”

Read full chapter

Drought, Famine, Sword

14 This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:(A)

“Judah mourns,(B)
    her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
    and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
The nobles send their servants for water;
    they go to the cisterns
    but find no water.(C)
They return with their jars unfilled;
    dismayed and despairing,
    they cover their heads.(D)
The ground is cracked
    because there is no rain in the land;(E)
the farmers are dismayed
    and cover their heads.
Even the doe in the field
    deserts her newborn fawn
    because there is no grass.(F)
Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights(G)
    and pant like jackals;
their eyes fail
    for lack of food.”(H)

Although our sins testify(I) against us,
    do something, Lord, for the sake of your name.(J)
For we have often rebelled;(K)
    we have sinned(L) against you.
You who are the hope(M) of Israel,
    its Savior(N) in times of distress,(O)
why are you like a stranger in the land,
    like a traveler who stays only a night?
Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
    like a warrior powerless to save?(P)
You are among(Q) us, Lord,
    and we bear your name;(R)
    do not forsake(S) us!

Read full chapter

Israel's Sin and the Servant's Obedience

50 Thus says the Lord:
“Where is (A)your mother's certificate of divorce,
    with which (B)I sent her away?
Or (C)which of my creditors is it
    to whom I have sold you?
(D)Behold, for your iniquities you were sold,
    and for your transgressions your mother was sent away.
(E)Why, when I came, was there no man;
    why, when I called, was there no one to answer?
(F)Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?
    Or have I no power to deliver?
(G)Behold, by my rebuke (H)I dry up the sea,
    (I)I make the rivers a desert;
(J)their fish stink for lack of water
    and die of thirst.

Read full chapter

Israel’s Sin and the Servant’s Obedience

50 This is what the Lord says:

“Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce(A)
    with which I sent her away?
Or to which of my creditors
    did I sell(B) you?
Because of your sins(C) you were sold;(D)
    because of your transgressions your mother was sent away.
When I came, why was there no one?
    When I called, why was there no one to answer?(E)
Was my arm too short(F) to deliver you?
    Do I lack the strength(G) to rescue you?
By a mere rebuke(H) I dry up the sea,(I)
    I turn rivers into a desert;(J)
their fish rot for lack of water
    and die of thirst.

Read full chapter