⁴ “But I have been the Lord your God
    ever since you came out of Egypt.^(M)
You shall acknowledge^(N) no God but me,^(O)
    no Savior^(P) except me.
⁵ I cared for you in the wilderness,^(Q)
    in the land of burning heat.
⁶ When I fed them, they were satisfied;
    when they were satisfied, they became proud;^(R)
    then they forgot^(S) me.^(T)
7 So I will be like a lion^(U) to them,
    like a leopard I will lurk by the path.
⁸ Like a bear robbed of her cubs,^(V)
    I will attack them and rip them open;
like a lion^(W) I will devour them—
    a wild animal will tear them apart.^(X)

⁹ “You are destroyed, Israel,
    because you are against me,^(Y) against your helper.^(Z)
10 Where is your king,^(AA) that he may save you?
    Where are your rulers in all your towns,
of whom you said,
    ‘Give me a king and princes’?^(AB)
11 So in my anger I gave you a king,^(AC)
    and in my wrath I took him away.^(AD)
12 The guilt of Ephraim is stored up,
    his sins are kept on record.^(AE)
13 Pains as of a woman in childbirth^(AF) come to him,
    but he is a child without wisdom;
when the time^(AG) arrives,
    he doesn’t have the sense to come out of the womb.^(AH)

¹⁴ “I will deliver this people from the power of the grave;^(AI)
    I will redeem them from death.^(AJ)
Where, O death, are your plagues?
    Where, O grave, is your destruction?^(AK)

“I will have no compassion,
¹⁵     even though he thrives^(AL) among his brothers.
An east wind^(AM) from the Lord will come,
    blowing in from the desert;
his spring will fail
    and his well dry up.^(AN)
His storehouse will be plundered^(AO)
    of all its treasures.
¹⁶ The people of Samaria^(AP) must bear their guilt,^(AQ)
    because they have rebelled^(AR) against their God.
They will fall by the sword;^(AS)
    their little ones will be dashed^(AT) to the ground,
    their pregnant women^(AU) ripped open.”^[b]

⁴ “I will heal^(BG) their waywardness^(BH)
    and love them freely,^(BI)
    for my anger has turned away^(BJ) from them.
⁵ I will be like the dew^(BK) to Israel;
    he will blossom like a lily.^(BL)
Like a cedar of Lebanon^(BM)
    he will send down his roots;^(BN)
6     his young shoots will grow.
His splendor will be like an olive tree,^(BO)
    his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.^(BP)
7 People will dwell again in his shade;^(BQ)
    they will flourish like the grain,
they will blossom^(BR) like the vine—
    Israel’s fame will be like the wine^(BS) of Lebanon.^(BT)
8 Ephraim, what more have I^[e] to do with idols?^(BU)
    I will answer him and care for him.
I am like a flourishing juniper;^(BV)
    your fruitfulness comes from me.”

⁹ Who is wise?^(BW) Let them realize these things.
    Who is discerning? Let them understand.^(BX)
The ways of the Lord are right;^(BY)
    the righteous walk^(BZ) in them,
    but the rebellious stumble in them.

⁵ Wake up, you drunkards, and weep!
    Wail, all you drinkers of wine;^(L)
wail because of the new wine,
    for it has been snatched^(M) from your lips.
⁶ A nation has invaded my land,
    a mighty army without number;^(N)
it has the teeth^(O) of a lion,
    the fangs of a lioness.
⁷ It has laid waste^(P) my vines
    and ruined my fig trees.^(Q)
It has stripped off their bark
    and thrown it away,
    leaving their branches white.

⁸ Mourn like a virgin in sackcloth^(R)
    grieving for the betrothed of her youth.
⁹ Grain offerings and drink offerings^(S)
    are cut off from the house of the Lord.
The priests are in mourning,^(T)
    those who minister before the Lord.
¹⁰ The fields are ruined,
    the ground is dried up;^(U)
the grain is destroyed,
    the new wine^(V) is dried up,
    the olive oil fails.^(W)

¹¹ Despair, you farmers,^(X)
    wail, you vine growers;
grieve for the wheat and the barley,^(Y)
    because the harvest of the field is destroyed.^(Z)
12 The vine is dried up
    and the fig tree is withered;^(AA)
the pomegranate,^(AB) the palm and the apple^[b] tree—
    all the trees of the field—are dried up.^(AC)
Surely the people’s joy
    is withered away.

¹⁵ Alas for that^(AK) day!
    For the day of the Lord^(AL) is near;
    it will come like destruction from the Almighty.^[c](AM)

¹⁶ Has not the food been cut off^(AN)
    before our very eyes—
joy and gladness^(AO)
    from the house of our God?^(AP)
17 The seeds are shriveled
    beneath the clods.^[d](AQ)
The storehouses are in ruins,
    the granaries have been broken down,
    for the grain has dried up.
¹⁸ How the cattle moan!
    The herds mill about
because they have no pasture;^(AR)
    even the flocks of sheep are suffering.^(AS)

¹⁹ To you, Lord, I call,^(AT)
    for fire^(AU) has devoured the pastures^(AV) in the wilderness
    and flames have burned up all the trees of the field.
²⁰ Even the wild animals pant for you;^(AW)
    the streams of water have dried up^(AX)
    and fire has devoured the pastures^(AY) in the wilderness.

Let all who live in the land tremble,
    for the day of the Lord^(BC) is coming.
It is close at hand^(BD)—
²     a day of darkness^(BE) and gloom,^(BF)
    a day of clouds^(BG) and blackness.^(BH)
Like dawn spreading across the mountains
    a large and mighty army^(BI) comes,
such as never was in ancient times^(BJ)
    nor ever will be in ages to come.

³ Before them fire^(BK) devours,
    behind them a flame blazes.
Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,^(BL)
    behind them, a desert waste^(BM)—
    nothing escapes them.
⁴ They have the appearance of horses;^(BN)
    they gallop along like cavalry.
⁵ With a noise like that of chariots^(BO)
    they leap over the mountaintops,
like a crackling fire^(BP) consuming stubble,
    like a mighty army drawn up for battle.

⁶ At the sight of them, nations are in anguish;^(BQ)
    every face turns pale.^(BR)
7 They charge like warriors;^(BS)
    they scale walls like soldiers.
They all march in line,^(BT)
    not swerving^(BU) from their course.
⁸ They do not jostle each other;
    each marches straight ahead.
They plunge through defenses
    without breaking ranks.
⁹ They rush upon the city;
    they run along the wall.
They climb into the houses;^(BV)
    like thieves they enter through the windows.^(BW)

¹⁰ Before them the earth shakes,^(BX)
    the heavens tremble,^(BY)
the sun and moon are darkened,^(BZ)
    and the stars no longer shine.^(CA)
11 The Lord^(CB) thunders^(CC)
    at the head of his army;^(CD)
his forces are beyond number,
    and mighty is the army that obeys his command.
The day of the Lord is great;^(CE)
    it is dreadful.
    Who can endure it?^(CF)

¹³ Rend your heart^(CI)
    and not your garments.^(CJ)
Return^(CK) to the Lord your God,
    for he is gracious and compassionate,^(CL)
slow to anger and abounding in love,^(CM)
    and he relents from sending calamity.^(CN)
14 Who knows? He may turn^(CO) and relent^(CP)
    and leave behind a blessing^(CQ)—
grain offerings and drink offerings^(CR)
    for the Lord your God.

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet^(CS) in Zion,^(CT)
    declare a holy fast,^(CU)
    call a sacred assembly.^(CV)
16 Gather the people,
    consecrate^(CW) the assembly;
bring together the elders,^(CX)
    gather the children,
    those nursing at the breast.
Let the bridegroom^(CY) leave his room
    and the bride her chamber.
¹⁷ Let the priests, who minister^(CZ) before the Lord,
    weep^(DA) between the portico and the altar.^(DB)
Let them say, “Spare your people, Lord.
    Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn,^(DC)
    a byword^(DD) among the nations.
Why should they say among the peoples,
    ‘Where is their God?^(DE)’”

“I am sending you grain, new wine^(DH) and olive oil,^(DI)
    enough to satisfy you fully;^(DJ)
never again will I make you
    an object of scorn^(DK) to the nations.

²⁰ “I will drive the northern horde^(DL) far from you,
    pushing it into a parched and barren land;
its eastern ranks will drown in the Dead Sea
    and its western ranks in the Mediterranean Sea.
And its stench^(DM) will go up;
    its smell will rise.”

Surely he has done great things!
²¹     Do not be afraid,^(DN) land of Judah;
    be glad and rejoice.^(DO)
Surely the Lord has done great things!^(DP)
22     Do not be afraid, you wild animals,
    for the pastures in the wilderness are becoming green.^(DQ)
The trees are bearing their fruit;
    the fig tree^(DR) and the vine^(DS) yield their riches.^(DT)
23 Be glad, people of Zion,
    rejoice^(DU) in the Lord your God,
for he has given you the autumn rains
    because he is faithful.^(DV)
He sends you abundant showers,^(DW)
    both autumn^(DX) and spring rains,^(DY) as before.
²⁴ The threshing floors will be filled with grain;
    the vats will overflow^(DZ) with new wine^(EA) and oil.

²⁵ “I will repay you for the years the locusts^(EB) have eaten^(EC)—
    the great locust and the young locust,
    the other locusts and the locust swarm^[f]—
my great army^(ED) that I sent among you.
²⁶ You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,^(EE)
    and you will praise^(EF) the name of the Lord your God,
    who has worked wonders^(EG) for you;
never again will my people be shamed.^(EH)
27 Then you will know^(EI) that I am in Israel,
    that I am the Lord^(EJ) your God,
    and that there is no other;
never again will my people be shamed.^(EK)

⁹ Proclaim this among the nations:
    Prepare for war!^(FU)
Rouse the warriors!^(FV)
    Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
¹⁰ Beat your plowshares into swords
    and your pruning hooks^(FW) into spears.^(FX)
Let the weakling^(FY) say,
    “I am strong!”^(FZ)
11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
    and assemble^(GA) there.

Bring down your warriors,^(GB) Lord!

¹² “Let the nations be roused;
    let them advance into the Valley of Jehoshaphat,^(GC)
for there I will sit
    to judge^(GD) all the nations on every side.
¹³ Swing the sickle,^(GE)
    for the harvest^(GF) is ripe.
Come, trample the grapes,^(GG)
    for the winepress^(GH) is full
    and the vats overflow—
so great is their wickedness!”

¹⁴ Multitudes,^(GI) multitudes
    in the valley^(GJ) of decision!
For the day of the Lord^(GK) is near
    in the valley of decision.^(GL)
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
    and the stars no longer shine.^(GM)
16 The Lord will roar^(GN) from Zion
    and thunder from Jerusalem;^(GO)
    the earth and the heavens will tremble.^(GP)
But the Lord will be a refuge^(GQ) for his people,
    a stronghold^(GR) for the people of Israel.

¹⁸ “In that day the mountains will drip new wine,^(GY)
    and the hills will flow with milk;^(GZ)
    all the ravines of Judah will run with water.^(HA)
A fountain will flow out of the Lord’s house^(HB)
    and will water the valley of acacias.^[k](HC)
19 But Egypt^(HD) will be desolate,
    Edom^(HE) a desert waste,
because of violence^(HF) done to the people of Judah,
    in whose land they shed innocent blood.
²⁰ Judah will be inhabited forever^(HG)
    and Jerusalem through all generations.
²¹ Shall I leave their innocent blood unavenged?^(HH)
    No, I will not.^(HI)”

“The Lord roars^(F) from Zion
    and thunders^(G) from Jerusalem;^(H)
the pastures of the shepherds dry up,
    and the top of Carmel^(I) withers.”^(J)

“For three sins of Damascus,^(K)
    even for four, I will not relent.^(L)
Because she threshed Gilead
    with sledges having iron teeth,
⁴ I will send fire^(M) on the house of Hazael^(N)
    that will consume the fortresses^(O) of Ben-Hadad.^(P)
5 I will break down the gate^(Q) of Damascus;
    I will destroy the king who is in^[b] the Valley of Aven^[c]
and the one who holds the scepter in Beth Eden.^(R)
    The people of Aram will go into exile to Kir,^(S)”
says the Lord.^(T)

“For three sins of Gaza,^(U)
    even for four, I will not relent.^(V)
Because she took captive whole communities
    and sold them to Edom,^(W)
7 I will send fire on the walls of Gaza
    that will consume her fortresses.
⁸ I will destroy the king^[d] of Ashdod^(X)
    and the one who holds the scepter in Ashkelon.
I will turn my hand^(Y) against Ekron,
    till the last of the Philistines^(Z) are dead,”^(AA)
says the Sovereign Lord.^(AB)

“For three sins of Tyre,^(AC)
    even for four, I will not relent.^(AD)
Because she sold whole communities of captives to Edom,
    disregarding a treaty of brotherhood,^(AE)
10 I will send fire on the walls of Tyre
    that will consume her fortresses.^(AF)”

“For three sins of Edom,^(AG)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he pursued his brother with a sword^(AH)
    and slaughtered the women of the land,
because his anger raged continually
    and his fury flamed unchecked,^(AI)
12 I will send fire on Teman^(AJ)
    that will consume the fortresses of Bozrah.^(AK)”

“For three sins of Ammon,^(AL)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he ripped open the pregnant women^(AM) of Gilead
    in order to extend his borders,
¹⁴ I will set fire to the walls of Rabbah^(AN)
    that will consume^(AO) her fortresses
amid war cries^(AP) on the day of battle,
    amid violent winds^(AQ) on a stormy day.
¹⁵ Her king^[e] will go into exile,
    he and his officials together,^(AR)”
says the Lord.^(AS)

“For three sins of Moab,^(AT)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because he burned to ashes^(AU)
    the bones of Edom’s king,
² I will send fire on Moab
    that will consume the fortresses of Kerioth.^[f](AV)
Moab will go down in great tumult
    amid war cries^(AW) and the blast of the trumpet.^(AX)
3 I will destroy her ruler^(AY)
    and kill all her officials with him,”^(AZ)
says the Lord.^(BA)

“For three sins of Judah,^(BB)
    even for four, I will not relent.
Because they have rejected the law^(BC) of the Lord
    and have not kept his decrees,^(BD)
because they have been led astray^(BE) by false gods,^[g](BF)
    the gods^[h] their ancestors followed,^(BG)
5 I will send fire^(BH) on Judah
    that will consume the fortresses^(BI) of Jerusalem.^(BJ)”

“For three sins of Israel,
    even for four, I will not relent.^(BK)
They sell the innocent for silver,
    and the needy for a pair of sandals.^(BL)
7 They trample on the heads of the poor
    as on the dust of the ground
    and deny justice to the oppressed.
Father and son use the same girl
    and so profane my holy name.^(BM)
8 They lie down beside every altar
    on garments taken in pledge.^(BN)
In the house of their god
    they drink wine^(BO) taken as fines.^(BP)

⁹ “Yet I destroyed the Amorites^(BQ) before them,
    though they were tall^(BR) as the cedars
    and strong as the oaks.^(BS)
I destroyed their fruit above
    and their roots^(BT) below.
¹⁰ I brought you up out of Egypt^(BU)
    and led^(BV) you forty years in the wilderness^(BW)
    to give you the land of the Amorites.^(BX)

¹¹ “I also raised up prophets^(BY) from among your children
    and Nazirites^(BZ) from among your youths.
Is this not true, people of Israel?”
declares the Lord.
¹² “But you made the Nazirites drink wine
    and commanded the prophets not to prophesy.^(CA)

¹³ “Now then, I will crush you
    as a cart crushes when loaded with grain.^(CB)
14 The swift will not escape,^(CC)
    the strong^(CD) will not muster their strength,
    and the warrior will not save his life.^(CE)
15 The archer^(CF) will not stand his ground,
    the fleet-footed soldier will not get away,
    and the horseman^(CG) will not save his life.^(CH)
16 Even the bravest warriors^(CI)
    will flee naked on that day,”
declares the Lord.