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1. The Lord said, "Look at these children. They don't obey me. They make plans, but they don't ask me to help them. They make agreements with other nations, but my Spirit does not want those agreements. These people are adding more and more sins to the ones they have already done.
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1. Woe H1945 to the rebellious H5637 children H1121 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 , that take H6213 counsel H6098 , but not H3808 of H4480 me ; and that cover H5258 with a covering H4541 , but not H3808 of my spirit H7307 , that H4616 they may add H5595 sin H2403 to H5921 sin H2403 :
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2. They are going down to Egypt for help, but they did not ask me if that was the right thing to do. They hope they will be saved by the Pharaoh. They want Egypt to protect them.
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2. That walk H1980 to go down H3381 into Egypt H4714 , and have not H3808 asked H7592 at my mouth H6310 ; to strengthen H5810 themselves in the strength H4581 of Pharaoh H6547 , and to trust H2620 in the shadow H6738 of Egypt H4714 !
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3. "But I tell you, hiding in Egypt will not help you. Pharaoh will not be able to protect you.
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3. Therefore shall the strength H4581 of Pharaoh H6547 be H1961 your shame H1322 , and the trust H2622 in the shadow H6738 of Egypt H4714 your confusion H3639 .
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4. Your leaders have gone to Zoan, and your representatives have gone to Hanes.
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4. For H3588 his princes H8269 were H1961 at Zoan H6814 , and his ambassadors H4397 came H5060 to Hanes H2609 .
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5. But they will be disappointed. They are depending on a nation that cannot help them. Egypt is useless�it will not help. Egypt will bring nothing but shame and embarrassment."
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5. They were all H3605 ashamed H954 of H5921 a people H5971 that could not H3808 profit H3276 them, nor H3808 be a help H5828 nor H3808 profit H3276 , but H3588 a shame H1322 , and also H1571 a reproach H2781 .
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6. This is a message about the Negev animals: There is a dangerous place full of lions, adders, deadly snakes, and useless people. And there are people who load their wealth onto donkeys and their treasures on the backs of camels. They carry them to a people who cannot help.
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6. The burden H4853 of the beasts H929 of the south H5045 : into the land H776 of trouble H6869 and anguish H6695 , from H4480 whence come the young H3833 and old lion H3918 , the viper H660 and fiery flying serpent H8314 H5774 , they will carry H5375 their riches H2428 upon H5921 the shoulders H3802 of young asses H5895 , and their treasures H214 upon H5921 the bunches H1707 of camels H1581 , to H5921 a people H5971 that shall not H3808 profit H3276 them .
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7. That useless nation is Egypt. Egypt's help is worth nothing, so I call Egypt the "Do-Nothing Dragon."
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7. For the Egyptians H4714 shall help H5826 in vain H1892 , and to no purpose H7385 : therefore H3651 have I cried H7121 concerning this H2063 , Their strength H7293 is to sit still H7674 .
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8. Now write this on a sign so that all people can see it, and write this in a book. Write these things for the last days. This will be far, far in the future:
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8. Now H6258 go H935 , write H3789 it before H854 them in H5921 a table H3871 , and note H2710 it in H5921 a book H5612 , that it may be H1961 for the time H3117 to come H314 forever H5703 and ever H5704 H5769 :
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9. These people are like children who refuse to obey. They lie and refuse to listen to the Lord's teachings.
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9. That H3588 this H1931 is a rebellious H4805 people H5971 , lying H3586 children H1121 , children H1121 that will H14 not H3808 hear H8085 the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 :
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10. They tell the prophets, "Don't see dreams about things we should do. Don't tell us the truth. Say nice things to us and make us feel good. See only good things for us.
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10. Which H834 say H559 to the seers H7200 , See H7200 not H3808 ; and to the prophets H2374 , Prophesy H2372 not H3808 unto us right things H5229 , speak H1696 unto us smooth things H2513 , prophesy H2372 deceits H4123 :
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11. Stop seeing things that will really happen. Get out of our way. Stop telling us about the Holy One of Israel. "
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11. Get H5493 you out of H4480 the way H1870 , turn aside H5186 out of H4480 the path H734 , cause H853 the Holy One H6918 of Israel H3478 to cease H7673 from before H4480 H6440 us.
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12. The Holy One of Israel says, "You people have refused to accept this message from the Lord. You want to depend on fighting and lies to help you.
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12. Wherefore H3651 thus H3541 saith H559 the Holy One H6918 of Israel H3478 , Because H3282 ye despise H3988 this H2088 word H1697 , and trust H982 in oppression H6233 and perverseness H3868 , and stay H8172 thereon H5921 :
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13. You are guilty of these things. So you are like a tall wall with cracks in it. That wall will fall and break into small pieces.
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13. Therefore H3651 this H2088 iniquity H5771 shall be H1961 to you as a breach H6556 ready to fall H5307 , swelling out H1158 in a high H7682 wall H2346 , whose H834 breaking H7667 cometh H935 suddenly H6597 at an instant H6621 .
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14. You will be like a large clay jar that breaks into many small, useless pieces. You cannot use them to get a hot coal from the fire or to get water from a pool in the ground."
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14. And he shall break H7665 it as the breaking H7667 of the potter H3335 's vessel H5035 that is broken in pieces H3807 ; he shall not H3808 spare H2550 : so that there shall not H3808 be found H4672 in the bursting H4386 of it a shard H2789 to take H2846 fire H784 from the hearth H4480 H3344 , or to take H2834 water H4325 withal out of the pit H4480 H1360 .
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15. The Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, says, "If you come back to me you will be saved. Only by remaining calm and trusting in me can you be strong." But you don't want to do that.
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15. For H3588 thus H3541 saith H559 the Lord H136 GOD H3069 , the Holy One H6918 of Israel H3478 ; In returning H7729 and rest H5183 shall ye be saved H3467 ; in quietness H8252 and in confidence H985 shall be H1961 your strength H1369 : and ye would H14 not H3808 .
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16. You say, "No, we need fast horses for battle." That is true�you will need fast horses, but only to run away because your enemy will be faster than your horses.
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16. But ye said H559 , No H3808 ; for H3588 we will flee H5127 upon H5921 horses H5483 ; therefore H5921 H3651 shall ye flee H5127 : and , We will ride H7392 upon H5921 the swift H7031 ; therefore H5921 H3651 shall they that pursue H7291 you be swift H7043 .
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17. One enemy soldier will make threats, and a thousand of your men will run away. And when five of them make threats, all of you will run away. The only thing that will be left of your army will be a flagpole on a hill.
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17. One H259 thousand H505 shall flee at H4480 H6440 the rebuke H1606 of one H259 ; at H4480 H6440 the rebuke H1606 of five H2568 shall ye flee H5127 : till H5704 H518 ye be left H3498 as a beacon H8650 upon H5921 the top H7218 of a mountain H2022 , and as an ensign H5251 on H5921 a hill H1389 .
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18. So the Lord is waiting to show his mercy to you. He wants to rise and comfort you. The Lord is the God who does the right thing, so he will bless everyone who waits for his help.
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18. And therefore H3651 will the LORD H3068 wait H2442 , that he may be gracious H2603 unto you , and therefore H3651 will he be exalted H7311 , that he may have mercy H7355 upon you: for H3588 the LORD H3068 is a God H430 of judgment H4941 : blessed H835 are all H3605 they that wait H2442 for him.
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19. The Lord's people will live in Jerusalem on Mount Zion. You people will not continue crying. The Lord will hear your crying, and he will comfort you. When he hears you, he will help you.
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19. For H3588 the people H5971 shall dwell H3427 in Zion H6726 at Jerusalem H3389 : thou shalt weep no more H1058 H1058 H3808 : he will be very gracious H2603 H2603 unto thee at the voice H6963 of thy cry H2199 ; when he shall hear H8085 it , he will answer H6030 thee.
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20. The Lord might give you sorrow and pain like the bread and water you eat every day. But God is your teacher, and he will not continue to hide from you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
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20. And though the Lord H136 give H5414 you the bread H3899 of adversity H6862 , and the water H4325 of affliction H3906 , yet shall not H3808 thy teachers H3384 be removed into a corner H3670 any more H5750 , but thine eyes H5869 shall H1961 see H7200 H853 thy teachers H3384 :
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21. If you wander from the right path, either to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice behind you saying, "You should go this way. This is the right way."
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21. And thine ears H241 shall hear H8085 a word H1697 behind H4480 H310 thee, saying H559 , This H2088 is the way H1870 , walk H1980 ye in it, when H3588 ye turn to the right hand H541 , and when H3588 ye turn to the left H8041 .
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22. Then you will take your idols covered with gold and silver and make them unfit to be used again. You will throw them away like filthy rags and say, "Go away!"
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22. Ye shall defile H2930 also H853 the covering H6826 of thy graven images H6456 of silver H3701 , and the ornament H642 of thy molten images H4541 of gold H2091 : thou shalt cast them away H2219 as H3644 a menstruous cloth H1739 ; thou shalt say H559 unto it , Get thee hence H3318 .
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23. At that time the Lord will send you rain. You will plant seeds, and the ground will grow food for you. You will have a very large harvest. You will have plenty of food in the fields for your animals. There will be large fields for your sheep.
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23. Then shall he give H5414 the rain H4306 of thy seed H2233 , that H834 thou shalt sow H2232 H853 the ground H127 withal ; and bread H3899 of the increase H8393 of the earth H127 , and it shall be H1961 fat H1879 and plenteous H8082 : in that H1931 day H3117 shall thy cattle H4735 feed H7462 in large H7337 pastures H3733 .
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24. Your cattle and donkeys will have all the food they need. There will be much food. You will have to use shovels and pitchforks to spread all the food for your animals to eat.
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24. The oxen H504 likewise and the young asses H5895 that ear H5647 the ground H127 shall eat H398 clean H2548 provender H1098 , which H834 hath been winnowed H2219 with the shovel H7371 and with the fan H4214 .
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25. Every mountain and hill will have streams filled with water. These things will happen after many people are killed and the enemy's towers are pulled down.
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25. And there shall be H1961 upon H5921 every H3605 high H1364 mountain H2022 , and upon H5921 every H3605 high H5375 hill H1389 , rivers H6388 and streams H2988 of waters H4325 in the day H3117 of the great H7227 slaughter H2027 , when the towers H4026 fall H5307 .
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26. At that time the light from the moon will be as bright as the sun, and the light from the sun will be seven times brighter than it is now. One day of sunlight will be like a whole week's worth. This will happen when the Lord bandages his broken people and heals the hurts from their beatings.
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26. Moreover the light H216 of the moon H3842 shall be H1961 as the light H216 of the sun H2535 , and the light H216 of the sun H2535 shall be H1961 sevenfold H7659 , as the light H216 of seven H7651 days H3117 , in the day H3117 that the LORD H3068 bindeth up H2280 H853 the breach H7667 of his people H5971 , and healeth H7495 the stroke H4273 of their wound H4347 .
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27. Look! The Lord is coming from far away. His anger is like a fire with thick clouds of smoke. His mouth is filled with anger, and his tongue is like a burning fire.
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27. Behold H2009 , the name H8034 of the LORD H3068 cometh H935 from far H4480 H4801 , burning H1197 with his anger H639 , and the burden H4858 thereof is heavy H3514 : his lips H8193 are full H4390 of indignation H2195 , and his tongue H3956 as a devouring H398 fire H784 :
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28. His breath is like a great river that rises until it reaches the throat. He will judge the nations as if putting them through a strainer that separates the ones fit for destruction. He will put a bit in their mouths to lead them to the place they don't want to go.
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28. And his breath H7307 , as an overflowing H7857 stream H5158 , shall reach to the midst H2673 of H5704 the neck H6677 , to sift H5130 the nations H1471 with the sieve H5299 of vanity H7723 : and there shall be a bridle H7448 in H5921 the jaws H3895 of the people H5971 , causing them to err H8582 .
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29. You will sing happy songs, like the nights when you begin a festival. You will be very happy walking to the Lord's mountain and listening to the flute on the way to worship the Rock of Israel.
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29. Ye shall have H1961 a song H7892 , as in the night H3915 when a holy solemnity is kept H6942 H2282 ; and gladness H8057 of heart H3824 , as when one goeth H1980 with a pipe H2485 to come H935 into the mountain H2022 of the LORD H3068 , to H413 the mighty One H6697 of Israel H3478 .
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30. The Lord will cause all people to hear his great voice and to see his powerful arm come down in anger. That arm will be like a great fire that burns everything. His power will be like a great storm with much rain and hail.
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30. And the LORD H3068 shall cause H853 his glorious H1935 voice H6963 to be heard H8085 , and shall show H7200 the lighting down H5183 of his arm H2220 , with the indignation H2197 of his anger H639 , and with the flame H3851 of a devouring H398 fire H784 , with scattering H5311 , and tempest H2230 , and hailstones H68 H1259 .
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31. Assyria will be frightened by the Lord's voice and the stick that will beat him.
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31. For H3588 through the voice H4480 H6963 of the LORD H3068 shall the Assyrian H804 be beaten down H2865 , which smote H5221 with a rod H7626 .
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32. And as the Lord beats Assyria, his people will keep the rhythm with their drums and harps.
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32. And in every place H3605 where the grounded H4145 staff H4294 shall pass H4569 , which H834 the LORD H3068 shall lay H5117 upon H5921 him, it shall be H1961 with tabrets H8596 and harps H3658 : and in battles H4421 of shaking H8573 will he fight H3898 with it.
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33. Topheth has been made ready for a long time. It is ready for the king. It was made very deep and wide. There is a very big pile of wood and fire there, and the Lord's breath will come like a stream of burning sulfur to start the fire.
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33. For H3588 Tophet H8613 is ordained H6186 of old H4480 H865 ; yea H1571 , for the king H4428 it H1931 is prepared H3559 ; he hath made it deep H6009 and large H7337 : the pile H4071 thereof is fire H784 and much H7235 wood H6086 ; the breath H5397 of the LORD H3068 , like a stream H5158 of brimstone H1614 , doth kindle H1197 it.
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