A voice cries out, “In the wilderness clear a way for the Lord; construct in the desert a road for our God.

For look, the Lord comes with fire, his chariots come like a windstorm, to reveal his raging anger, his battle cry, and his flaming arrows.

But they just keep saying, ‘We do not care what you say! We will do whatever we want to do! We will continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly!’”

א (Alef)Alas! Gold has lost its luster; pure gold loses value. Jewels are scattered on every street corner.

The Dedanites were your clients. Many coastlands were your customers; they paid you with ivory tusks and ebony.

Is there idolatry in Gilead? Certainly its inhabitants will come to nothing! Do they sacrifice bulls in Gilgal? Surely their altars will be like stones heaped up on a plowed field!

I will remove your idols and sacred pillars from your midst; you will no longer worship what your own hands made.

Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord who rules over all and to ask his favor.

I tell you the solemn truth, we speak about what we know and testify about what we have seen, but you people do not accept our testimony.

(Now there were about twelve men in all.)

and they will come to their senses and escape the devil’s trap where they are held captive to do his will.

By faith he left Egypt without fearing the king’s anger, for he persevered as though he could see the one who is invisible.

and a stumbling-stone and a rock to trip over. They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

Although these false teachers promise such people freedom, they themselves are enslaved to immorality. For whatever a person succumbs to, to that he is enslaved.

Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but was speaking like a dragon.

So Isaac called for Jacob and blessed him. Then he commanded him, “You must not marry a Canaanite woman!

Then he became very attached to Dinah, Jacob’s daughter. He fell in love with the young woman and spoke romantically to her.

Jacob’s sons killed them and looted the city because their sister had been violated.

When Samlah died, Shaul from Rehoboth by the River reigned in his place.

They should gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming. By Pharaoh’s authority they should store up grain so the cities will have food, and they should preserve it.