Israel’s Great Misery (Matthew 10:34–39; Luke 12:49–53)
2 AKJV The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net. BSB BSB: The godly man has perished from the earth; there is no one upright among men. They all lie in wait for blood; they hunt one another with a net.
3 AKJV That they may do evil with both hands earnestly, the prince asks, and the judge asks for a reward; and the great man, he utters his mischievous desire: so they wrap it up. BSB BSB: Both hands are skilled at evil; the prince and the judge demand a bribe. When the powerful utters his evil desire, they all conspire together.
4 AKJV The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of your watchmen and your visitation comes; now shall be their perplexity. BSB BSB: The best of them is like a brier; the most upright is sharper than a hedge of thorns. The day for your watchmen has come, the day of your visitation. Now is the time of their confusion.
5 AKJV Trust you not in a friend, put you not confidence in a guide: keep the doors of your mouth from her that lies in your bosom. BSB BSB: Do not rely on a friend; do not trust in a companion. Seal the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms.
Israel’s Confession and Comfort 7 AKJV Therefore I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me. BSB BSB: But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
8 AKJV Rejoice not against me, O my enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light to me. BSB BSB: Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
9 AKJV I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him, until he plead my cause, and execute judgment for me: he will bring me forth to the light, and I shall behold his righteousness. BSB BSB: Because I have sinned against Him, I must endure the rage of the LORD, until He argues my case and executes justice for me. He will bring me into the light; I will see His righteousness.
10 AKJV Then she that is my enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said to me, Where is the LORD your God? my eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets. BSB BSB: Then my enemy will see and will be covered with shame—she who said to me, “Where is the LORD your God?” My eyes will see her; at that time she will be trampled like mud in the streets.
11 AKJV In the day that your walls are to be built, in that day shall the decree be far removed. BSB BSB: The day for rebuilding your walls will come—the day for extending your boundary.
12 AKJV In that day also he shall come even to you from Assyria, and from the fortified cities, and from the fortress even to the river, and from sea to sea, and from mountain to mountain. BSB BSB: On that day they will come to you from Assyria and the cities of Egypt, even from Egypt to the Euphrates, from sea to sea and mountain to mountain.
13 AKJV Notwithstanding the land shall be desolate because of them that dwell therein, for the fruit of their doings. BSB BSB: Then the earth will become desolate because of its inhabitants, as the fruit of their deeds.
God’s Compassion on Israel 14 AKJV Feed your people with your rod, the flock of your heritage, which dwell solitarily in the wood, in the middle of Carmel: let them feed in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old. BSB BSB: Shepherd with Your staff Your people, the flock of Your inheritance. They live alone in a woodland, surrounded by pastures. Let them graze in Bashan and Gilead, as in the days of old.
15 AKJV According to the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt will I show to him marvelous things. BSB BSB: As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show My wonders.
16 AKJV The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand on their mouth, their ears shall be deaf. BSB BSB: Nations will see and be ashamed, deprived of all their might. They will put their hands over their mouths, and their ears will become deaf.
17 AKJV They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall move out of their holes like worms of the earth: they shall be afraid of the LORD our God, and shall fear because of you. BSB BSB: They will lick the dust like a snake, like reptiles slithering on the ground. They will come trembling from their strongholds in the presence of the LORD our God; they will tremble in fear of You.
18 AKJV Who is a God like to you, that pardons iniquity, and passes by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retains not his anger for ever, because he delights in mercy. BSB BSB: Who is a God like You, who pardons iniquity and passes over the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance—who does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in loving devotion?
19 AKJV He will turn again, he will have compassion on us; he will subdue our iniquities; and you will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. BSB BSB: He will again have compassion on us; He will vanquish our iniquities. You will cast out all our sins into the depths of the sea.
20 AKJV You will perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which you have sworn to our fathers from the days of old. BSB BSB: You will show faithfulness to Jacob and loving devotion to Abraham, as You swore to our fathers from the days of old.