1Gather yourselves together, yes, gather, O nation without shame,
2before the decree gives birth — like chaff the day passes — before there comes upon you the burning anger of Yahweh, before there comes upon you the day of Yahweh’s anger.
3Seek Yahweh, all you humble of the land, who have carried out his justice; seek righteousness, seek humility. Perhaps you will be hidden on the day of Yahweh’s anger.
4For Gaza will be abandoned, and Ashkelon a desolation; Ashdod — at noon they will drive her out, and Ekron will be uprooted.
5Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast, the nation of the Cherethites! The word of Yahweh is against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines; and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.
6And the seacoast will become pastures, meadows for shepherds, and folds for flocks.
7And the coast will belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; on them they will graze; in the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening, for Yahweh their God will attend to them and restore their fortunes.
8I have heard the taunt of Moab and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, with which they taunted my people and made themselves great against their border.
9Therefore, as I live — declares Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel — Moab will surely become like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah, a possession of nettles and a pit of salt, and a desolation forever. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the rest of the nation will inherit them.
10This shall be theirs in return for their pride, because they taunted and made themselves great against the people of Yahweh of hosts.
11Yahweh will be terrible against them, for he will make lean all the gods of the earth; and to him they will bow down, each from his place, all the coastlands of the nations.
12You also, O Cushites, they will be slain by my sword.
13And he will stretch out his hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and he will make Nineveh a desolation, a dry waste like the desert.
14And flocks will lie down in her midst, every kind of beast of the nation; even the pelican and the hedgehog will lodge among her capitals. A voice will sing in the window, desolation on the threshold, for the cedarwork is laid bare.
15This is the exultant city that dwelt securely, that said in her heart, ‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’ How she has become a desolation, a lair for wild beasts! Everyone who passes by her will hiss and shake his fist.
Open in the interactive reader →