← Isaiah

• A. 9:8-12 Pride of Ephraim: bricks → hewn stones; adversaries sent against Israel — 8 The Lord has sent a message against Jacob, and it has fallen upon Israel. 9 All the people will know it—Ephraim and the dwellers of Samaria. With pride and arrogance of heart they will say: 10 "The bricks have fallen, but we will rebuild with finished stone; the sycamores have been felled, but we will replace them with cedars." 11 The LORD has raised up the foes of Rezin against him and joined his enemies together. 12 Aram from the east and Philistia from the west have devoured Israel with open mouths. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

• B. 9:13-17 False teachers: leaders cause them to err — 13 But the people did not return to Him who struck them; they did not seek the LORD of Hosts. 14 So the LORD will cut off Israel's head and tail, both palm branch and reed in a single day. 15 The head is the elder and honorable man, and the tail is the prophet who teaches lies. 16 For those who guide this people mislead them, and those they mislead are swallowed up. 17 Therefore the Lord takes no pleasure in their young men; He has no compassion on their fatherless and widows. For every one of them is godless and wicked, and every mouth speaks folly. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

• A'. 9:18-21 Burning judgment: fire and forests; Manasseh vs. Ephraim — 18 For wickedness burns like a fire that consumes the thorns and briers and kindles the forest thickets which roll upward in billows of smoke. 19 By the wrath of the LORD of Hosts the land is scorched, and the people are fuel for the fire. No man even spares his brother. 20 They carve out what is on the right, but they are still hungry; they eat what is on the left, but they are still not satisfied. Each one devours the flesh of his own offspring. 21 Manasseh devours Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh; together they turn against Judah. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

• B'. 10:1-4 False judges: they decree unrighteous decrees — 1 Woe to those who enact unjust statutes and issue oppressive decrees, 2 to deprive the poor of fair treatment and withhold justice from the oppressed of My people, to make widows their prey and orphans their plunder. 3 What will you do on the day of reckoning when devastation comes from afar? To whom will you flee for help? Where will you leave your wealth? 4 Nothing will remain but to crouch among the captives or fall among the slain. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.