1
Gather· yourselves ·up, and gather··up, O nation not eager,
2
before◦ the statute is··born, before the day pass as chaff, before◦ the fierce anger of Jehovah come on you, before◦ the day of the anger of Jehovah come upon you!
3
seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, who have worked His judgment; seek justice, seek meekness; perhaps you shall be hidden in the day of Jehovah’s anger.
4
For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon for a desolation; they shall drive··out Ashdod at noon, and Ekron shall be hamstrung.
5
Woe to those who dwell in the region of the sea, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, and I will make· thee ·perish, and there shall be no··one dwelling.
6
And the region of the sea shall be for homes dug··out for shepherds, and fences for flocks.
7
And the region shall be for what··is··left of the house of Judah; they shall pasture upon them; in the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie··down◦ in the evening, for Jehovah their God shall visit them, and turn··back their captivity.
8
I have heard the reproach of Moab, and the insults of the sons of Ammon, by which they have reproached My people, and magnified themselves against their border.
9
Therefore as I◦ live, says◦ Jehovah of Armies, the God of Israel, surely▵ Moab shall be as Sodom, and the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, a forsaken◦ place of nettles and a salt pit◦, desolation even··to eternity; those who··are··left of My people shall plunder them, and the remnant of My nation shall inherit them.
10
This shall they◦ have◦ for their pride, for they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Jehovah of Armies.
11
Jehovah will be fearsome unto them; for He will make··lean all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship Him, a man◦ from his place, even all the islands of the nations.
12
Also you◦ Ethiopians, they◦* shall be slain by My sword.
13
And He will stretch··out His hand against the north, and make· Assyria ·perish; and will set Nineveh for a desolation, arid as the wilderness.
14
And droves shall lie··down◦ in the midst of her, every wild··animal of the nation; both◦ the spoonbill and◦ the osprey shall lodge in the knobs* of her; their voice shall sing in the window; waste shall be in the doorway: for he shall make··naked her cedar.
15
This is the triumphant city that sat securely, that said in her heart, I◦ am, and besides me there is nothing more◦. How◦ she has become a desolation, a place· for the wild··animal ·to··crouch! Everyone passing by◦ her shall hiss, and shake◦ his fist▵.
