The Lord Will Choose Jerusalem

2 ^[a]I looked up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. ² I asked him, “Where are you going?”

He answered, “I am going to measure Jerusalem to see how wide and how long it is.”

³ Then the angel who was speaking with me left. Another angel came out to meet him ⁴ and said to him, “Run, and say to that young man, ‘Jerusalem will be inhabited like an unwalled village because it will have so many people and animals in it. ⁵ I will be a wall of fire around it, declares Yahweh. I will be the glory within it.’

⁶ “Hurry, hurry! Flee from the land of the north, declares Yahweh. I’ve scattered you to the four winds of heaven. ⁷ Hurry, Zion! Escape, you inhabitants of Babylon! ⁸ This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Afterwards, the Glory sent me to the nations who looted you. Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye. ⁹ I’m going to shake my fist at the nations, and their own slaves will loot them. Then you will know that Yahweh Tsebaoth has sent me. ¹⁰ Sing for joy and rejoice, people of Zion. I’m going to come and live among you, declares Yahweh. ¹¹ On that day many nations will join Yahweh and become my people. I will live among you. Then you will know that Yahweh Tsebaoth has sent me to you. ¹² Yahweh will claim Judah as his own in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.

¹³ “Everyone be silent in the presence of Yahweh. He is waking up and setting out from his holy dwelling place.”