נָדַד

As it was, the heat consumed me by day and the frost by night, and sleep fled from my eyes.

But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand.

That night sleep escaped the king; so he ordered the Book of Records, the Chronicles, to be brought in and read to him.

He wanders about as food for vultures; he knows the day of darkness is at hand.

He is driven from light into darkness and is chased from the inhabited world.

He will fly away like a dream, never to be found; he will be chased away like a vision in the night.

Among all my enemies I am a disgrace, and among my neighbors even more. I am dreaded by my friends—they flee when they see me on the street.

How far away I would flee! In the wilderness I would remain. Selah

They will be made to stumble, their own tongues turned against them. All who see will shake their heads.

“Kings and their armies flee in haste; she who waits at home divides the plunder.

Like a bird that strays from its nest is a man who wanders from his home.

My hand reached as into a nest to seize the wealth of the nations. Like one gathering abandoned eggs, I gathered all the earth. No wing fluttered, no beak opened or chirped.’”

Madmenah flees; the people of Gebim take refuge.

Like fluttering birds pushed out of the nest, so are the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon:

“Give us counsel; render a decision. Shelter us at noonday with shade as dark as night. Hide the refugees; do not betray the one who flees.

Bring water for the thirsty, O dwellers of Tema; meet the refugees with food.

For they flee from the sword—the sword that is drawn—from the bow that is bent, and from the stress of battle.

All your rulers have fled together, captured without a bow. All your fugitives were captured together, having fled to a distant place.

The peoples flee the thunder of Your voice; the nations scatter when You rise.

I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.

I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, a dirge over the wilderness pasture, for they have been scorched so no one passes through, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. Both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled; they have gone away.

Behold, I am about to bring terror upon you, declares the Lord GOD of Hosts, from all those around you. You will each be driven headlong, with no one to regather the fugitives.

Woe to them, for they have strayed from Me! Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against Me! Though I would redeem them, they speak lies against Me.

My God will reject them because they have not obeyed Him; and they shall be wanderers among the nations.

Then all who see you will recoil from you and say, ‘Nineveh is devastated; who will grieve for her?’ Where can I find comforters for you?”

Your guards are like the swarming locust, and your scribes like clouds of locusts that settle on the walls on a cold day. When the sun rises, they fly away, and no one knows where.