The nameof the staris calledWormwood;and a thirdof the watersbecamewormwood,and manymendiedfrom the waters,becausethey were made bitter.
When they cameto Marah,they couldnot drinkthe watersof Marah,for they were bitter;thereforeit was namedMarah.
But in the endshe is bitteras wormwood,Sharpas a two-edgedsword.
"Thereforethussaysthe LORDof hostsconcerningthe prophets,'Behold,I am going to feedthem wormwoodAnd make them drinkpoisonouswater,For from the prophetsof JerusalemPollutionhas goneforthinto allthe land.'"
thereforethussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,"behold,I will feedthem, thispeople,with wormwoodand givethem poisonedwaterto drink.
Remembermy afflictionand my wandering,the wormwoodand bitterness.
He has besiegedand encompassedme with bitternessand hardship.
[For] those who turnjusticeinto wormwoodAnd castrighteousnessdownto the earth."
Do horsesrunon rocks?Ordoes one plowthem with oxen?Yetyou have turnedjusticeinto poisonAnd the fruitof righteousnessinto wormwood,
"It will comeabout in allthe land,"Declaresthe LORD,"That twopartsin it will be cutoff[and] perish;But the thirdwill be leftin it.
"And I will bringthe thirdpartthrough the fire,Refinethem as silveris refined,And testthem as goldis tested.They will callon My name,And I will answerthem; I will say,They are My people,'And they will say,'The LORDis my God.'"
sothat therewill not be among you a manorwoman,orfamilyortribe,whoseheartturnsawaytodayfrom the LORDour God,to goand servethe godsof thosenations;that therewill not be among you a rootbearingpoisonousfruitand wormwood.
Seeto it that noonecomes shortof the graceof God;that norootof bitternessspringingup causes trouble,and by it manybe defiled;
And his tailswept awaya thirdof the starsof heavenand threwthem to the earth.And the dragonstoodbeforethe womanwho was aboutto givebirth,sothat whenshe gave birthhe might devourher child.
The firstsounded,and there camehailand fire,mixedwith blood,and they were thrownto the earth;and a thirdof the earthwas burnedup, and a thirdof the treeswere burnedup, and allthe greengrasswas burnedup.
And the fourangels,who had been preparedfor the hourand dayand monthand year,were released,sothat they would killa thirdof mankind.
A thirdof mankindwas killedby thesethreeplagues,by the fireand the smokeand the brimstonewhich proceededout of their mouths.
She saidto them, "Do not callme Naomi;callme Mara,for the Almightyhas dealtverybitterlywith me.
