1Hear the wordwhich the LORDspeaks to you, O house of Israel.
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Thussays the LORD, "1Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavensAlthough the nations are terrified by them;
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For the customs of the peoples are 2delusion; Because3it is woodcut from the forest, The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cuttingtool.
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"They 4decorate it with silver and with gold; They 5fasten it with nails and with hammers So that it will not totter.
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"Like a scarecrow in a cucumberfield are they, And they 6cannotspeak; They must be 7carried, Because they cannotwalk! Do not fear them, For they 8can donoharm, Nor* can they doanygood."
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9There is nonelike You, O LORD; You are 10great, and great is Your name in might.
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11Who would not fear You, O 12King of the nations? Indeed it is Your due! For among all the 13wisemen of the nations And in all their kingdoms, There is nonelike You.
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But they are altogether14stupid and foolish In their discipline of delusion -their idol is wood!
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Beaten15silver is brought from 16Tarshish, And 17gold from Uphaz, The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith; Violet and purple are their clothing; They are all the 18work of skilledmen.
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But the LORD is the 19trueGod; He is the 20livingGod and the 21everlastingKing. At His wrath the 22earthquakes, And the nationscannot23endure His indignation.
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Thus you shall say to them, "The 24gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will 25perish from the earth and from under the heavens."
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It is 26He who made the earth by His power, Who 27established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has 28stretched out the heavens.
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When He utters His 29voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, And He causes the 30clouds to ascend from the end of the earth; He makeslightning for the rain, And brings out the 31wind from His storehouses.
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Everyman is 32stupid, devoid of knowledge; Everygoldsmith is put to shame by his idols; For his moltenimages are deceitful, And there is nobreath in them.
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They are 33worthless, a work of mockery; In the 34time of their punishment they will perish.
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The 35portion of Jacob is not like these; For the 36Maker of all is He, And 37Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; The 38LORD of hosts is His name.
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39Pick up your bundle from the ground, You who dwell under siege!
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For thussays the LORD, "Behold, I am 40slinging out the inhabitants of the land At thistime, And will cause them distress, That they may be found."
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41Woe is me, because of my injury! My 42wound is incurable. But I said, "Trulythis is a sickness, And I 43must bear it."
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My 44tent is destroyed, And all my ropes are broken; My 45sons have gone from me and are nomore. There is 46noone to stretch out my tentagain Or to set up my curtains.
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For the shepherds have becomestupid And 47have not sought the LORD; Therefore* they have not prospered, And 48all their flock is scattered.
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The sound of a 49report! Behold, it comes - A greatcommotion50out of the land of the north - To 51make the cities of Judah A desolation, a haunt of jackals.
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I know, O LORD, that 52a man'sway is not in himself, 53Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.
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54Correct me, O LORD, but with justice; Not with Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.
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55Pour out Your wrath on the nations that 56do not know You And on the families that 57do not call Your name; For they have devouredJacob; They have 58devoured him and consumed him And have laidwaste his habitation.