"Gatheryourselves and come;Drawneartogether,you fugitivesof the nations;They havenoknowledge,Who carryabout their woodenidolAnd prayto a godwho cannotsave.
Then the angerof the LORDburnedagainst Amaziah,and He senthim a prophetwho saidto him, "Whyhave you soughtthe godsof the peoplewhohave not deliveredtheir own peoplefrom your hand?"
For he sacrificedto the godsof Damascuswhich had defeatedhim, and said,"Becausethe godsof the kingsof Aramhelpedthem, I will sacrificeto them that they may helpme." But they becamethe downfallof him and allIsrael.
Those who makethem will becomelikethem, Everyonewhotrustsin them.
In that daythe Branchof the LORDwill be beautifuland glorious,and the fruitof the earth[will be] the prideand the adornmentof the survivorsof Israel.
"Presentyour case,"the LORDsays."Bringforwardyour strong[arguments]," The Kingof Jacobsays.
Allthe nationshave gatheredtogetherSo that the peoplesmay be assembled.Whoamong them can declarethisAnd proclaimto us the formerthings?Let them presenttheir witnessesthat they may be justified,Or let them hearand say,"It is true."
Whohas fashioneda godor castan idolto noprofit?
Those who fashiona gravenimageare allof them futile,and their preciousthingsare of noprofit;even their own witnessesfailto seeor know,sothat they will be putto shame.
Belhas boweddown,Nebostoopsover;Their imagesare [consigned] to the beastsand the cattle.The thingsthat you carryare burdensome,A loadfor the weary[beast].
"Assemble,allof you, and listen!Whoamong them has declaredthesethings?The LORDloveshim; he will carryout His goodpleasureon Babylon,And His arm[will be against] the Chaldeans.
"When you cryout, let your collection[of idols] deliveryou. But the windwill carryallof them up, [And] a breathwill take[them away]. But he who takesrefugein Me will inheritthe landAnd will possessMy holymountain."
Everymanis stupid,devoidof knowledge;Everygoldsmithis putto shameby his idols;For his moltenimagesare deceitful,And there is nobreathin them.
"Like a scarecrowin a cucumberfieldare they, And they cannotspeak;They mustbe carried,Becausethey cannotwalk!Do not fearthem, For they can donoharm,Norcan they doanygood."
But they are altogetherstupidand foolish[In their] disciplineof delusion--their idol is wood!
"And Moabwill be ashamedof Chemosh,as the houseof Israelwas ashamedof Bethel,their confidence.
"Yet I will restorethe fortunesof MoabIn the latterdays,"declaresthe LORD.Thusfarthe judgmenton Moab.
There is a soundof fugitivesand refugeesfrom the landof Babylon,To declarein Zionthe vengeanceof the LORDour God,Vengeancefor His temple.
[remember] that you were at that timeseparatefrom Christ,excludedfrom the commonwealthof Israel,and strangersto the covenantsof promise,havingnohopeand without Godin the world.
and might reconcilethem bothin onebodyto Godthroughthe cross,by it having put to deaththe enmity.
