many on the surface of the valley, and they were exceedingly dry. He said to me, 'Son of man, can these bones be revived?' I answered, 'O Lord Jehovah, thou knowest.' Again he said to me, 'Speak to these bones, and say to them, "Dry bones, hear the message of Jehovah. I am about to put breath into you, that you may revive. I will lay sinews upon you, clothe you with flesh, cover you with skin, and put breath in you, that you may live again and know that I am Jehovah."

So I spoke as he commanded me; and as I spoke there was a movement; the bones came together, each into its place; and as I looked sinews came upon them and flesh clothed them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, 'Son of man, speak to the breath, and say, "Jehovah commands: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live." So I called as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly vast multitude.

Then he said to me, 'O man, these bones represent all the people of Israel; they say, "Our bones are dried up and our hope is lost; we are completely cut off." Therefore prophesy and say to them, "Jehovah declares: I will open your graves and raise you from them, O my people, and I will bring you into the land of Israel. Then, O my people, you shall know that I am Jehovah. And I will put my spirit in you, that you may live, and I will restore you to your own land, that you may know that I, Jehovah, have decreed and accomplished it," Jehovah declares.'

HABAKKUK

207. THE CONSEQUENCES OF RIGHT AND WRONG DOING

Art thou not eternal, O Jehovah,

My holy One, who diest not,

With eyes too pure to see evil,

Who canst not look on iniquity?

Why regardest thou the treacherous in silence,

While the wicked swallows the upright?

He treats men like the fish of the sea,

Like reptiles that have no ruler,
He sweeps them all into his net,
And gathers them into his seine.
Shall he empty his net continually,
To slaughter nations unpityingly?

I will take my stand on my watch-tower,
And station myself on a turret.

I will watch to see what he will say to me,
What answer he will make to my complaint.

Then Jehovah answered me and said:
'Inscribe the vision plainly on tablets,
That even he who runs may read it.
Though the vision waits for the time set,
It hastens to fulfilment and will not fail;
Though it linger long, wait for it,
For it surely will come and not tarry.
The soul of the wicked faints within him,
But the upright lives by his faithfulness.

"Woe to him who amasses what is not his,
And loads himself down with pledges!
Will your debtors not suddenly rise,

And those who shall overthrow you awake,
And you become their prey?

For as you have spoiled many peoples,
The survivors shall prey upon you.

"Woe to him who gets false gain,

And stores up evil for his house,
To set his nest on high,

To be safe from the grip of misfortune!

You have planned only shame for your house,
You have cut off many peoples,

And brought guilt upon yourself;

For the stone shall cry out from the wall,

And the beam from the timber shall answer it.

'Woe to him who builds a city by bloodshed,
And founds a town by crime,

While the peoples toil for what fires shall consume,
And the nations weary themselves for nothing!

'Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbor
From the cup of your wrath till he be drunk,
That you may gaze on his nakedness!
You are filled with shame, not glory;

Drink yourself and be uncovered,

The cup from Jehovah's hand

Shall pass in turn to you,

And shame shall cover your glory!'

208. FAITH UNDAUNTED BY DISASTER AND MISFOR

TUNE

I have heard, O Jehovah, of thy fame,

I have seen, O Jehovah, thy work;

Through the years thou dost make thyself known,

In wrath thou rememberest mercy.

Art thou wroth, O Jehovah, with the rivers,

Is thine anger against the streams,

Or thy wrath against the sea,

That thou dost ride on thy war-steeds,
That thou mountest thy chariots of victory,
That thou makest bare thy bow,

That thou fillest thy quiver with shafts?

Thou cleavest the earth with torrents,
The mountains see thee and writhe,
The tempest of waters sweeps by,
The great deep sends forth its voice,
The height lifts up its hands,
The sun forgets to rise,

The moon stands still in its place.

Thine arrows go forth to give light,
Thy glittering spear is as lightning.
In rage thou stridest over the earth,
In wrath thou tramplest the nations.
Thou goest forth to save thy people,
Thou goest to help thine anointed.

I heard, and my body trembles,
And at the sound my lips quiver,
My bones begin to decay,
And my footsteps totter beneath me,
While I wait for the day of distress
To come upon those who attack us.

Though the fig-tree bears no fruit,
And there be no vintage on the vines,
Though the olive harvest fails,

And the fields produce no food,

Though the flock be cut off from the fold,

And there be no herd in the stalls,

Yet I will exult in Jehovah,

And rejoice in the God who saves me,
Jehovah the Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like hinds' feet,
And causes me to walk on the heights!

ISAIAH

209. THE VISION OF A GOD-SENT RULER

The people walking in darkness

Have seen a great light,

They who live in the shadow of death-
Upon them a light has shone.

Thou hast given them much cause for joy,
Thou hast made the rejoicing great;
They rejoice as at harvest before thee,
As men exult when dividing the spoil.

For the burdensome yoke,

And the bar on his shoulder,

His taskmaster's rod

Thou hast shattered as thou didst the Midianites.

For each boot worn in battle's din,

Each cloak drenched with blood

Shall be burned completely

As fuel for the flame.

For unto us a child is born,

Unto us a son is given;

The rule shall rest on his shoulders,
And this shall be his name:

'Wonderful Counsellor,

Godlike Hero,

Father for ever,

Prince of Peace.'

Great his rule,

And endless the peace,
On the throne of David,