The high places of the “House ¹  of Wickedness” ²  will be destroyed; it is the place where Israel sins. Thorns and thistles will grow up over its altars. Then they will say to the mountains, “Cover us!” and to the hills, “Fall on us!”

So this is what the Lord, the one who delivered Abraham, says to the family of Jacob: ¹  “Jacob will no longer be ashamed; their faces will no longer show their embarrassment. ² 

Evergreens will grow in place of thorn bushes, firs will grow in place of nettles; they will be a monument to the Lord, ¹  a permanent reminder that will remain. ² 

For I will not be hostile ¹  forever or perpetually angry, for then man’s spirit would grow faint before me, ²  the life-giving breath I created.

When he speaks of a new covenant, ¹  he makes the first obsolete. Now what is growing obsolete and aging is about to disappear. ² 

“At that time ¹  Jacob’s splendor will be greatly diminished, ²  and he will become skin and bones. ³ 

Because of this, our hearts are sick; ¹  because of these things, we can hardly see ²  through our tears. ³ 

They will cover ¹  the surface ²  of the earth, so that you ³  will be unable to see the ground. They will eat the remainder of what escaped ⁴  – what is left over ⁵  for you – from the hail, and they will eat every tree that grows for you from the field.

The whole land will be covered with brimstone, salt, and burning debris; it will not be planted nor will it sprout or produce grass. It will resemble the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the Lord destroyed in his intense anger. ¹ 

Nor do we boast beyond certain limits ¹  in the work ²  done by others, but we hope ³  that as your faith continues to grow, our work may be greatly expanded ⁴  among you according to our limits, ⁵ 

Planted in the Lord’s house, they grow in the courts of our God.

He must become more important while I become less important.” ¹ 

In this way the word of the Lord ¹  continued to grow in power ²  and to prevail. ³ 

You will live by your sword but you will serve your brother. When you grow restless, you will tear off his yoke from your neck.” ¹ 

Then he fell asleep again and had a second dream: There were seven heads of grain growing ¹  on one stalk, healthy ²  and good.

Eli’s eyes had begun to fail, so that he was unable to see well. At that time he was lying down in his place,

My eyes grow weak because of oppression. I call out to you, O Lord, all day long; I spread out my hands in prayer to you. ¹ 

Mourn ¹  over the land of my people, which is overgrown with thorns and briers, and over all the once-happy houses ²  in the city filled with revelry. ³ 

Her fortresses will be overgrown with thorns; thickets and weeds will grow ¹  in her fortified cities. Jackals will settle there; ostriches will live there. ² 

I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily, he will send down his roots like a cedar of ¹  Lebanon.