American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
Then there arose a great cry of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews.
For there were that said, We, our sons and our daughters, are many: let us get grain, that we may eat and live.
Some also there were that said, We are mortgaging our fields, and our vineyards, and our houses: let us get grain, because of the dearth.
There were also that said, We have borrowed money for the king's tribute upon our fields and our vineyards.
Yet now our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, our children as their children: and, lo, we bring into bondage our sons and our daughters to be servants, and some of our daughters are brought into bondage already: neither is it in our power to help it; for other men have our fields and our vineyards.
And I was very angry when I heard their cry and these words.
Then I consulted with myself, and contended with the nobles and the {Or, deputies}rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I held a great assembly against them.
And I said unto them, We after our ability have {Hebrew: bought.}redeemed our brethren the Jews, that were sold unto the nations; and would ye even sell your brethren, and should they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found never a word.
Also I said, The thing that ye do is not good: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God, because of the reproach of the nations our enemies?
And I likewise, my brethren and my servants, do lend them money and grain. I pray you, let us leave off this usury.
Restore, I pray you, to them, even this day, their fields, their vineyards, their oliveyards, and their houses, also the hundredth part of the money, and of the grain, the new wine, and the oil, that ye exact of them.
Then said they, We will restore them, and will require nothing of them; so will we do, even as thou sayest. Then I called the priests, and took an oath of them, that they would do according to this promise.
Also I shook out my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that performeth not this promise; even thus be he shaken out, and emptied. And all the assembly said, Amen, and praised Jehovah. And the people did according to this promise.
Take this book of the law, and put it by the side of the ark of the covenant of Jehovah your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee.
And when they brought out the money that was brought into the house of Jehovah, Hilkiah the priest found the book of the law of Jehovah {Hebrew: by the hand of.}given by Moses.
And the land shall not be sold in perpetuity; for the land is mine: for ye are strangers and sojourners with me.
then will I pluck them up by the roots out of my land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.
A perverse heart shall depart from me:I will know no {Or, evil person}evil thing.
Whoso privily slandereth his neighbor, him will I destroy:Him that hath a high look and a proud heart will I not suffer.
Mine eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me:He that walketh in a perfect way, he shall minister unto me.
He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house:He that speaketh falsehood shall not be established before mine eyes.
Morning by morning will I destroy all the wicked of the land;To cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of Jehovah.
so that he who blesseth himself in the earth shall bless himself in the God of {Hebrew: Amen. See 2 Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 3:14.}truth; and he that sweareth in the earth shall swear by the God of {Hebrew: Amen. See 2 Corinthians 1:20; Revelation 3:14.}truth; because the former troubles are forgotten, and because they are hid from mine eyes.
And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.
For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it {Hebrew: panteth.}hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay.
Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not {Or, straight}upright in him; but the righteous shall live {Or, in his faithfulness}by his faith.
But I have this against thee, that thou sufferest {Many authorities, some ancient read thy wife}the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess; and she teacheth and seduceth my {Greek: bondservants.}servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols.
And another angel came out from the {Or, sanctuary}temple, crying with a great voice to him that sat on the cloud, Send forth thy sickle, and reap: for the hour to reap is come; for the harvest of the earth is {Greek: become dry.}ripe.
And another angel came out from the altar, he that hath power over fire; and he called with a great voice to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Send forth thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.
A Psalm of Asaph. {Or, Only good is God}Surely God is good to Israel,Even to such as are pure in heart.
But as for me, my feet were almost gone;My steps had well nigh slipped.
For I was envious at the {Or, fools}arrogant,When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
For there are no pangs in their death;But their strength is firm.
They are not {Hebrew: in the trouble of men.}in trouble as other men;Neither are they plagued like other men.
Therefore pride is as a chain about their neck;Violence covereth them as a garment.
Their eyes stand out with fatness: {Or, The imagination of their heart overflow}They have more than heart could wish.
They scoff, and in wickedness utter oppression:They speak {Or, from on high}loftily.
They have set their mouth {Or, against}in the heavens,And their tongue walketh through the earth.
Therefore {Another reading is, he will bring back his people.}his people return hither:And waters of a full cup are drained by them.
And they say, How doth God know?And is there knowledge in the Most High?
Behold, these are the wicked;And, being alway at ease, they increase in riches.
he cropped off the topmost of the young twigs thereof, and carried it unto {Or, the land of Canaan}a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.
And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods; and he shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished; for that which is determined shall be done.
Neither shall he regard the gods of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall magnify himself above all.
But in his {Or, office}place shall he honor the god of fortresses; and a god whom his fathers knew not shall he honor with gold, and silver, and with precious stones, and pleasant things.
And he shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god: {Or, whom he shall acknowledge and increase with glory}whosoever acknowledgeth him {Or, shall increase glory}he will increase with glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and shall divide the land for a price.
The wind hath wrapped her up in its {Or, skirts}wings; and {Or, as otherwise read, their altars shall be put to shame}they shall be put to shame because of their sacrifices.
At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse;
{Or, a wind too strong for this}a full wind from these shall come for me: now will I also utter judgments against them.
Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in {That is, The heart of them that rise up against me.}Leb-kamai, a destroying wind.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Again, ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, {Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:2; Deuteronomy 23:21.}Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
Putting away therefore all {Or, malice 1 Corinthians 14:20.}wickedness, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
And I said, What is it? And he said, This is the ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their {Hebrew: eye.}appearance in all the land
And he said, This is Wickedness: and he cast her down into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof.
Be not unequally yoked with unbelievers: for what fellowship have righteousness and iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness?
Wherefore {Isaiah 52:11.}Come ye out from among them, and be ye separate,saith the Lord,And touch no unclean thing;And I will receive you,
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come forth, my people, out of her, that ye have no fellowship with her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues: