Judgment of Jerusalem and the Nations

¹ Woe to you, O rebellious and defiled one! The oppressing city!

² She listens to no voice; she does not accept correction. In Yahweh she does not trust; to her God she does not draw near.

³ Her officials in her midst are roaring lions; her judges are evening wolves; they leave nothing until the morning.

⁴ Her prophets are arrogant men of treachery; her priests have defiled that which is holy; they do violence to the law.

⁵ Yahweh is righteous in her midst; he does not do wickedness. ⌞Morning by morning⌟¹ he renders his judgment; at dawn he does not fail, but an evil one knows no shame.

1. Literally “In the morning, in the morning”

⁶ “I have cut off nations; their strongholds are deserted. I have laid waste their streets, so that none pass through. Their cities have been destroyed and are without a man, without an inhabitant.

⁷ I have said, ‘Surely she will fear me; she will accept discipline. Then her dwelling place will not be cut down, nor all that I have brought upon her.’ Surely they rise early; they make all their deeds corrupt.

⁸ “Therefore, wait for me”—a declaration of Yahweh— “for the day of my rising as a witness. For my decision is to gather nations, to assemble¹ kingdoms, to pour out my wrath upon them, all my burning anger. For by the fire of my anger all the land shall be consumed.

1. The traditional Hebrew has “assemble me”; this translation follows LXX

⁹ Because then I will ⌞make the speech of the nations pure⌟;¹ that all of them might call on the name of Yahweh, to serve him ⌞in unison⌟.²

1. Literally “I will turn to the nations a purged lip”
2. Literally “with one shoulder”

¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Cush my worshipers and the daughter of my scattered ones shall bring my offering.

¹¹ On that day you shall not be humiliated on account of all your deeds by which you have rebelled against me. For then I shall remove from your midst those exulting in your pride, and you shall no longer be haughty in ⌞my holy mountain⌟.¹

1. Literally “the mountain of my holiness”

¹² And I will leave in your midst a people afflicted and poor, and they shall take refuge in the name of Yahweh.

¹³ The remnant of Israel shall not do wickedness; they shall not speak deception, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth. For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall frighten them.”

¹⁴ Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Cry aloud, O Israel! Rejoice and be jubilant with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

¹⁵ Yahweh has annulled your judgments; he has turned away your enemies. The king of Israel, Yahweh, is in your midst; you shall no longer fear misfortune.

¹⁶ On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, “Fear not, O Zion; your hands shall not hang limp.

¹⁷ Yahweh your God is in your midst; a mighty warrior who saves. He shall rejoice over you with joy; he renews¹ you in his love; he will exult over you with singing.

1. The translation follows the LXX text; the traditional Hebrew text reads “he will silence you in his love”

¹⁸ I will gather those of you grieving on account of the feast; they were raising against her a reproach.

¹⁹ Behold, at that time I will deal with all your oppressors; I will save the lame and gather the outcast. I will change¹ them from shame to glory and ⌞renown⌟² throughout the whole world.

1. Or “make”
2. Literally “a name”

²⁰ At that time I will bring you in; at the time of my gathering you together. For I will make you ⌞renowned⌟¹ and praised among all the nations of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your eyes,” says Yahweh.

1. Literally “a name”