Givegloryto the LORDyour God,BeforeHe bringsdarknessAnd beforeyour feetstumbleOn the duskymountains,And while you are hopingfor lightHe makesit into deepdarkness,[And] turns[it] into gloom.
"Let darknessand blackgloomclaimit; Let a cloudsettleon it; Let the blacknessof the dayterrifyit.
There were those who dweltin darknessand in the shadowof death,Prisonersin miseryand chains,
He broughtthem out of darknessand the shadowof deathAnd broketheir bandsapart.
Ascribeto the LORDthe glorydue to His name;Worshipthe LORDin holyarray.
YetYou have crushedus in a placeof jackalsAnd coveredus with the shadowof death.
Then the LORDsaidto Moses,"Stretchout your handtowardthe sky,that there may be darknessoverthe landof Egypt,even a darknesswhich may be felt."
The wayof the wickedis like darkness;They do not knowover whatthey stumble.
Indeed,ifa manshould livemanyyears,let him rejoicein them all,and let him rememberthe daysof darkness,for they will be many.Everythingthat is to come[will be] futility.
And it will growloverit in that daylike the roaringof the sea.If one looksto the land,behold,there is darkness[and] distress;Even the lightis darkenedby its clouds.
We gropealong the walllike blindmen,We gropelike those who havenoeyes;We stumbleat middayas in the twilight,Among those whoare vigorous[we are] like deadmen.
Thereforejusticeis farfrom us, And righteousnessdoes not overtakeus; We hopefor light,but behold,darkness,For brightness,but we walkin gloom.
"For behold,darknesswill coverthe earthAnd deepdarknessthe peoples;But the LORDwill riseupon you And His glorywill appearupon you.
Then they will lookto the earth,and behold,distressand darkness,the gloomof anguish;and [they will be] drivenawayinto darkness.
Have You completelyrejectedJudah?Orhave You loathedZion?Whyhave You strickenus so that we are beyondhealing?[We] waitedfor peace,but nothinggood[came]; And for a timeof healing,but behold,terror!
"They did not say,'Whereis the LORDWho broughtus up out of the landof Egypt,Who ledus through the wilderness,Through a landof desertsand of pits,Through a landof droughtand of deepdarkness,Through a landthat noonecrossedAnd wherenomandwelt?'
"Thereforetheir waywill be like slipperypathsto them, They will be drivenawayinto the gloomand falldownin it; For I will bringcalamityupon them, The yearof their punishment,"declaresthe LORD.
I lookedon the earth,and behold,[it was] formlessand void;And to the heavens,and they hadnolight.
"My peoplehave becomelostsheep;Their shepherdshave ledthem astray.They have made them turnaside[on] the mountains;They have gonealong from mountainto hillAnd have forgottentheir restingplace.
Therefore,thussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am layingstumblingblocksbeforethispeople.And they will stumbleagainst them, Fathersand sonstogether;Neighborand friendwill perish."
[We] waitedfor peace,but nogood[came]; For a timeof healing,but behold,terror!
Yetour eyesfailed,[Looking] for helpwas useless;In our watchingwe have watchedFor a nationthat could not save.
that [their] heartsmay melt,and manyfallat alltheir gates.I have giventhe glitteringsword.Ah!It is made[for striking] like lightning,it is wrappedup [in readiness] for slaughter.
"As a shepherdcaresfor his herdin the daywhen he is amonghis scatteredsheep,soI will carefor My sheepand will deliverthem from allthe placesto whichthey were scatteredon a cloudyand gloomyday.
"I will not let you hearinsultsfrom the nationsanymore,norwill you beardisgracefrom the peoplesanylonger,norwill you cause your nationto stumbleanylonger,"declaresthe LordGOD.'"
A dayof darknessand gloom,A dayof cloudsand thickdarkness.As the dawnis spreadoverthe mountains,[So] there is a greatand mightypeople;There has neverbeen[anything] likeit, Norwill there be againafterit To the yearsof manygenerations.
For behold,He who formsmountainsand createsthe windAnd declaresto manwhatare His thoughts,He who makesdawninto darknessAnd treadson the highplacesof the earth,The LORDGodof hostsis His name.
Alas,you who are longingfor the dayof the LORD,For whatpurpose[will] the dayof the LORD[be] to you? It [will be] darknessand not light;
"Ifyou do not listen,and ifyou do not takeit to heartto givehonorto My name,"saysthe LORDof hosts,"then I will sendthe curseupon you and I will curseyour blessings;and indeed,I have cursedthem [already], becauseyou are not taking[it] to heart.
SoJesussaidto them, "For a littlewhilelongerthe Lightis amongyou. Walkwhileyou havethe Light,sothat darknesswill not overtakeyou; he who walksin the darknessdoes not knowwherehe goes.
Then Joshuasaidto Achan,"My son,I imploreyou, givegloryto the LORD,the Godof Israel,and givepraiseto Him; and tellme nowwhatyou have done.Do not hideit from me."
and, "A STONEOF STUMBLINGAND A ROCKOF OFFENSE";for they stumblebecause they are disobedientto the word,and to this[doom] they were alsoappointed.
"So you shall makelikenessesof your tumorsand likenessesof your micethat ravagethe land,and you shall givegloryto the Godof Israel;perhapsHe will easeHis handfrom you, your gods,and your land.
