18. Thy hand, O LORD is lifted up, yet do they not see; But they shall see with shame thy zeal for thy people. 19. Thou, O LORD, wilt give us peace; For all our works thou doest for us. (Chap. XXVI; 1-12.) 1. XI. The happiness of the people under a righteous and liberal BEHOLD! a king shall reign in righteousness, And princes shall rule with equity. 2. Every one of them shall be a hiding-place from the wind, And a shelter from the tempest; As streams of water in a dry place, As the shadow of a great rock in a weary land. 3. The eyes of them that see shall no more be blind, And the ears of them that hear shall hearken, 4. The heart of the rash shall gain wisdom, And the tongue of the stammerer learn to speak plainly. 5. The vile shall no more be called liberal, Nor the niggard said to be bountiful; 6. For the vile will still utter villainy, He will practice deception, and speak impiety against God And deprive the thirsty of drink. 7. The instruments also of the niggard are evil; He plotteth mischievous devices, To destroy the poor with lying words, Even when the cause of the needy is just. 8. But the liberal deviseth liberal things, And in liberal things will he persevere. (Chap. XXXII; 1-8.) 9. And the effect of righteousness shall be peace, And the fruit of righteousness quiet and security forever. 10. Then shall my people dwell in peaceful habitations, In secure dwellings, in quiet resting-places. (Chap. XXXII; 1-8.) 11. The LORD is exalted; yea, he dwelleth on high; He filleth Zion with justice and righteousness. 12. There shall be security in thy times; Wisdom and knowledge shall be thy store of prosperity, (Chap. XXXIII; 5-6.) 13. He that walketh in righteousness, And speaketh that which is right, That despiseth the gain of oppression, And shaketh his hands from bribery, That stoppeth his ears, so as not to hear of blood, 14. He shall dwell on high; The strongholds of rocks shall be his defence; His bread shall be given him, His water shall not fail. (Chap. XXX; 15-16.) 1. NAHUM. About 630, B. C. E. The destruction of Nineveh, the oppressing city. THE prophecy concerning Nineveh, prophecy of Nahum, the 2. The LORD is slow to anger, but great in power; He will by no means clear the guilty; The LORD cometh in the whirlwind and the storm, 3. He rebuketh the sea, and maketh it dry, And drieth up all the rivers. Bashan languisheth, and Carmel, And the flower of Lebanon languisheth. 4. The mountains tremble before him, and the hills melt; The earth is moved at his presence, Yea, the world and all that dwell therein. 5. Who can stand before his indignation, And who can abide before the fierceness of his anger? And the rocks are cast down by him! 6. The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; He careth for them that trust in him; 7. But with an overwhelming flood will he make a full end of her place, [Nineveh] And darkness shall pursue his enemies. 8. What do ye meditate against the LORD? 9. 10. He will make a full end; Not the second time shall the calamity come. Woe to the city of blood! She is full of deceit and robbery ; She ceaseth not from plunder. [Hark!] The noise of the whip! The noise of the rattling of the wheels, (Chap. I; 3-8.) And of the prancing horses, and of the bounding chariots! 11. The horseman lifteth up the flame of the sword, And the lightning of the spear; 12. There is a multitude of the slain; heaps of dead bodies; There is no end to the carcasses; They stumble over the carcasses. 13. It is because of thy many abominations, The graceful beauty, the mistress of enchantments, And kingdoms by her enchantments. 14. Behold, I am against thee, saith the LORD of hosts, And I will dishonor thee, and make thee a gazing-stock, And all that see thee shall flee from thee, 15. And shall say, "Nineveh is laid waste; Who will bemoan her? Whence shall I seek comforters for thee?" Thy shepherds slumber, O king of Assyria! Thy nobles take their rest, Thy people are scattered on the mountains, and none gathereth them. 16. Thy bruise is incurable; thy wound is mortal. 17. All that hear of thee shall clap their hands over thee, For upon whom hath not thy wickedness passed continually? (Chap. III; 1-6, 18-19.) Behold upon the mountains the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, That publisheth peace! Keep, O Judah, thy feasts, perform thy vows! For no more shall the destroyer pass through thee; He is utterly consumed. (Chap. II; 15.) 1. ZEPHANIAH. About 625, B. C. E. I. Destruction of Judah threatened. Exhortation to repentance. The word of the LORD, which came to Zephaniah, the son 2. Be silent before God, the Eternal! For the day of the LORD is near; For the LORD hath prepared a sacrifice; He hath appointed his guests. 3. And in the day of the sacrifice it shall come to pass That I will punish the princes and the sons of the king, And all that are clothed with foreign apparel. 4. In that day also will I punish all that leap over the threshold, For destruction, and that a speedy one, will he bring 6. Search yourselves; yea, search, O nation without shame! Before the day come upon you like chaff; Before the day of the anger of the LORD come upon you. 7. Seek ye the LORD, all ye lowly of the land, Ye, who obey his commands! Seek righteousness; seek lowliness; It may be that ye shall be hid in the day of the anger of the LORD. (Chap. I; 1-7.) II. The sins of Jerusalem denounced and destruction threatened. 1. The residue of the people will trust in God. Purity and humility will be universal. Israel will be happy in God's love. WOE to her that is rebellious and polluted, the oppressing 2. She listeneth to no voice, she receiveth not admonition; She trusteth not in the LORD, She draweth not near to her God. 3. Her princes within her are roaring lions ; Her judges are evening wolves; They reserve nothing for the morning. 4. Her prophets are vainglorious, men of treachery; 5. He doeth no iniquity. Every morning bringeth he his righteousness to light; he faileth not; Yet the wicked knoweth not shame. 6. I have cut off nations; their towers are destroyed; I have laid waste their streets so that none passeth through; Their cities are made desolate, without a man, without an inhabi tant. 7. Then I said, "Surely thou wilt fear me; thou wilt receive admonition, 8. 9. But they were diligent to commit iniquity in all their doings. Until the day when I rise upon them, To pour upon them my indignation, For with the fire of mine anger shall all the land be devoured. So that they shall all of them call upon the name of the LORD, 10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, The sons of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering. 11. In that day thou shalt not be ashamed For all thy doings, wherein thou hast transgressed against me; For I will take away from the midst of thee thy proud exulters, And thou shalt no more exalt thyself upon my holy mountain. 12. I will leave in the midst of thee a humble and lowly people, Who trust in the name of the LORD. 13. The residue of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak falsehood; (Chap. III; 1-13.) |