Verse 1
Moreouer the Lorde sayde vnto me, Take thee a great roule, and wryte in it as men do with a pen: make hastie speede to rob, and haste to the spoyle.
Verse 2
And I called vnto me faythfull witnesses to recorde, Uriah the priest, and Zachariah the sonne of Barachiah.
Verse 3
After that went I vnto the prophetisse, and she conceaued & bare a sonne: Then sayde the Lord to me, Geue him his name, a speedie robber, an hastie spoyler.
Verse 4
For why, or euer the chylde shall haue knowledge to crye my father and mother, shall the riches of Damascus and the spoyle of Samaria be taken away before the kyng of the Assyrians.
Verse 5
The Lorde spake also vnto me agayne, saying:
Verse 6
Forsomuche as this people refuseth the styll running water of Silo, and put their delight in Razin and Romelies sonne:
Verse 7
Beholde, the Lord shall bryng mightie and great fluddes of water vpon them, namely the king of the Assyrians with all his power, whiche shall climbe vp vpon all his fluddes, and runne ouer all his bankes,
Verse 8
And shall breake in vpon Iuda, he shall flowe and passe thorowe, tyll he come vp to the necke thereof: he shall fill also the widenesse of thy lande with his wynges O Emmanuel.
Verse 9
Breake downe O ye people, and ye shalbe broken downe, hearken to all ye of farre countreys: muster you, and you shalbe broken downe, prepare you, and you shalbe torne in peeces.
Verse 10
Take your counsell together, yet shall your counsell come to naught: determine the matter, yet shall it not prosper: for God is with vs.
Verse 11
For the Lorde spake thus to me in a mightie prophesie, and warned me that I should not walke in the way of this people, saying:
Verse 12
Ye shall not speake wordes of conspiracie in all thinges, when this people shall say conspiracie: feare them not, neither be afraide of them.
Verse 13
But sanctifie the Lorde of hoastes, let him be your feare and dread.
Verse 14
For he shalbe the holy place to flee to, and stone to stumble at, the rocke to fall vpon, a snare and net to both the houses of Israel, and the inhabitours of Hierusalem:
Verse 15
And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, yea they shalbe snared and taken.
Verse 16
Binde vp the testimonie, seale the law in my disciples.
Verse 17
And I wyll wayte vpon the Lorde that hideth his face from the house of Iacob, and I wyll loke for him.
Verse 18
But lo, as for me and the chyldren whiche the Lorde hath geuen me, we are to be a token and a wonder in Israel from the Lorde of hoastes, whiche dwelleth vpon the hill of Sion.
Verse 19
And if they say vnto you, Aske counsayle at the Soothsayers, Witches, Charmers, and Coniurers: then make them this aunswere, Is there a people any where that asketh not counsayle at his God? shoulde men runne vnto the dead for the liuing?
Verse 20
Get thee to the lawe, and the testimonie: and if they speake not after this worde, there is no light in them.
Verse 21
And they shall wander thorowe this lande hardly besteade and hungry, and when they suffer hunger, they wyll be out of pacience, and curse their king and their God, and shall loke vpwarde and downewarde to the earth,
Verse 22
And beholde there is trouble and darknesse, dymnesse is rounde about him, & he shalbe driuen into darknesse.