² Raise a banner^(E) on a bare hilltop,
    shout to them;
beckon to them
    to enter the gates^(F) of the nobles.
³ I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
    I have summoned my warriors^(G) to carry out my wrath^(H)—
    those who rejoice^(I) in my triumph.

⁴ Listen, a noise on the mountains,
    like that of a great multitude!^(J)
Listen, an uproar^(K) among the kingdoms,
    like nations massing together!
The Lord Almighty^(L) is mustering^(M)
    an army for war.
⁵ They come from faraway lands,
    from the ends of the heavens^(N)—
the Lord and the weapons^(O) of his wrath^(P)—
    to destroy^(Q) the whole country.

⁶ Wail,^(R) for the day^(S) of the Lord is near;
    it will come like destruction^(T) from the Almighty.^[a](U)
7 Because of this, all hands will go limp,^(V)
    every heart will melt with fear.^(W)
8 Terror^(X) will seize them,
    pain and anguish will grip^(Y) them;
    they will writhe like a woman in labor.^(Z)
They will look aghast at each other,
    their faces aflame.^(AA)

⁹ See, the day^(AB) of the Lord is coming
    —a cruel^(AC) day, with wrath^(AD) and fierce anger^(AE)—
to make the land desolate
    and destroy the sinners within it.
¹⁰ The stars of heaven and their constellations
    will not show their light.^(AF)
The rising sun^(AG) will be darkened^(AH)
    and the moon will not give its light.^(AI)
11 I will punish^(AJ) the world for its evil,
    the wicked^(AK) for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty^(AL)
    and will humble^(AM) the pride of the ruthless.^(AN)
12 I will make people^(AO) scarcer than pure gold,
    more rare than the gold of Ophir.^(AP)
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;^(AQ)
    and the earth will shake^(AR) from its place
at the wrath^(AS) of the Lord Almighty,
    in the day of his burning anger.^(AT)

¹⁴ Like a hunted^(AU) gazelle,
    like sheep without a shepherd,^(AV)
they will all return to their own people,
    they will flee^(AW) to their native land.^(AX)
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through;
    all who are caught will fall^(AY) by the sword.^(AZ)
16 Their infants^(BA) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
    their houses will be looted and their wives violated.^(BB)

¹⁷ See, I will stir up^(BC) against them the Medes,^(BD)
    who do not care for silver
    and have no delight in gold.^(BE)
18 Their bows^(BF) will strike down the young men;^(BG)
    they will have no mercy^(BH) on infants,
    nor will they look with compassion on children.^(BI)
19 Babylon,^(BJ) the jewel of kingdoms,^(BK)
    the pride and glory^(BL) of the Babylonians,^[b]
will be overthrown^(BM) by God
    like Sodom and Gomorrah.^(BN)
20 She will never be inhabited^(BO)
    or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads^(BP) will pitch their tents,
    there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
²¹ But desert creatures^(BQ) will lie there,
    jackals^(BR) will fill her houses;
there the owls^(BS) will dwell,
    and there the wild goats^(BT) will leap about.
²² Hyenas^(BU) will inhabit her strongholds,^(BV)
    jackals^(BW) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,^(BX)
    and her days will not be prolonged.^(BY)

² Raise a banner^(A) on a bare hilltop,
    shout to them;
beckon to them
    to enter the gates^(B) of the nobles.
³ I have commanded those I prepared for battle;
    I have summoned my warriors^(C) to carry out my wrath^(D)—
    those who rejoice^(E) in my triumph.

⁴ Listen, a noise on the mountains,
    like that of a great multitude!^(F)
Listen, an uproar^(G) among the kingdoms,
    like nations massing together!
The Lord Almighty^(H) is mustering^(I)
    an army for war.
⁵ They come from faraway lands,
    from the ends of the heavens^(J)—
the Lord and the weapons^(K) of his wrath^(L)—
    to destroy^(M) the whole country.

⁶ Wail,^(N) for the day^(O) of the Lord is near;
    it will come like destruction^(P) from the Almighty.^[a](Q)
7 Because of this, all hands will go limp,^(R)
    every heart will melt with fear.^(S)
8 Terror^(T) will seize them,
    pain and anguish will grip^(U) them;
    they will writhe like a woman in labor.^(V)
They will look aghast at each other,
    their faces aflame.^(W)

⁹ See, the day^(X) of the Lord is coming
    —a cruel^(Y) day, with wrath^(Z) and fierce anger^(AA)—
to make the land desolate
    and destroy the sinners within it.
¹⁰ The stars of heaven and their constellations
    will not show their light.^(AB)
The rising sun^(AC) will be darkened^(AD)
    and the moon will not give its light.^(AE)
11 I will punish^(AF) the world for its evil,
    the wicked^(AG) for their sins.
I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty^(AH)
    and will humble^(AI) the pride of the ruthless.^(AJ)
12 I will make people^(AK) scarcer than pure gold,
    more rare than the gold of Ophir.^(AL)
13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble;^(AM)
    and the earth will shake^(AN) from its place
at the wrath^(AO) of the Lord Almighty,
    in the day of his burning anger.^(AP)

¹⁴ Like a hunted^(AQ) gazelle,
    like sheep without a shepherd,^(AR)
they will all return to their own people,
    they will flee^(AS) to their native land.^(AT)
15 Whoever is captured will be thrust through;
    all who are caught will fall^(AU) by the sword.^(AV)
16 Their infants^(AW) will be dashed to pieces before their eyes;
    their houses will be looted and their wives violated.^(AX)

¹⁷ See, I will stir up^(AY) against them the Medes,^(AZ)
    who do not care for silver
    and have no delight in gold.^(BA)
18 Their bows^(BB) will strike down the young men;^(BC)
    they will have no mercy^(BD) on infants,
    nor will they look with compassion on children.^(BE)
19 Babylon,^(BF) the jewel of kingdoms,^(BG)
    the pride and glory^(BH) of the Babylonians,^[b]
will be overthrown^(BI) by God
    like Sodom and Gomorrah.^(BJ)
20 She will never be inhabited^(BK)
    or lived in through all generations;
there no nomads^(BL) will pitch their tents,
    there no shepherds will rest their flocks.
²¹ But desert creatures^(BM) will lie there,
    jackals^(BN) will fill her houses;
there the owls^(BO) will dwell,
    and there the wild goats^(BP) will leap about.
²² Hyenas^(BQ) will inhabit her strongholds,^(BR)
    jackals^(BS) her luxurious palaces.
Her time is at hand,^(BT)
    and her days will not be prolonged.^(BU)

14 The Lord will have compassion^(A) on Jacob;
    once again he will choose^(B) Israel
    and will settle them in their own land.^(C)
Foreigners^(D) will join them
    and unite with the descendants of Jacob.
² Nations will take them
    and bring^(E) them to their own place.
And Israel will take possession of the nations^(F)
    and make them male and female servants in the Lord’s land.
They will make captives^(G) of their captors
    and rule over their oppressors.^(H)

How the oppressor^(N) has come to an end!
    How his fury^[a] has ended!
⁵ The Lord has broken the rod^(O) of the wicked,^(P)
    the scepter^(Q) of the rulers,
⁶ which in anger struck down peoples^(R)
    with unceasing blows,
and in fury subdued^(S) nations
    with relentless aggression.^(T)
7 All the lands are at rest and at peace;^(U)
    they break into singing.^(V)
8 Even the junipers^(W) and the cedars of Lebanon
    gloat over you and say,
“Now that you have been laid low,
    no one comes to cut us down.”^(X)

⁹ The realm of the dead^(Y) below is all astir
    to meet you at your coming;
it rouses the spirits of the departed^(Z) to greet you—
    all those who were leaders^(AA) in the world;
it makes them rise from their thrones—
    all those who were kings over the nations.^(AB)
10 They will all respond,
    they will say to you,
“You also have become weak, as we are;
    you have become like us.”^(AC)
11 All your pomp has been brought down to the grave,^(AD)
    along with the noise of your harps;^(AE)
maggots are spread out beneath you
    and worms^(AF) cover you.^(AG)

¹² How you have fallen^(AH) from heaven,
    morning star,^(AI) son of the dawn!
You have been cast down to the earth,
    you who once laid low the nations!^(AJ)
13 You said in your heart,
    “I will ascend^(AK) to the heavens;
I will raise my throne^(AL)
    above the stars of God;
I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly,^(AM)
    on the utmost heights^(AN) of Mount Zaphon.^[b]
14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds;^(AO)
    I will make myself like the Most High.”^(AP)
15 But you are brought down^(AQ) to the realm of the dead,^(AR)
    to the depths^(AS) of the pit.^(AT)

¹⁶ Those who see you stare at you,
    they ponder your fate:^(AU)
“Is this the man who shook^(AV) the earth
    and made kingdoms tremble,
¹⁷ the man who made the world a wilderness,^(AW)
    who overthrew^(AX) its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”^(AY)

¹⁸ All the kings of the nations lie in state,
    each in his own tomb.^(AZ)
19 But you are cast out^(BA) of your tomb
    like a rejected branch;
you are covered with the slain,^(BB)
    with those pierced by the sword,^(BC)
    those who descend to the stones of the pit.^(BD)
Like a corpse trampled underfoot,
²⁰     you will not join them in burial,^(BE)
for you have destroyed your land
    and killed your people.

Let the offspring^(BF) of the wicked^(BG)
    never be mentioned^(BH) again.
²¹ Prepare a place to slaughter his children^(BI)
    for the sins of their ancestors;^(BJ)
they are not to rise to inherit the land
    and cover the earth with their cities.

²² “I will rise up^(BK) against them,”
    declares the Lord Almighty.
“I will wipe out Babylon’s name^(BL) and survivors,
    her offspring and descendants,^(BM)”
declares the Lord.
²³ “I will turn her into a place for owls^(BN)
    and into swampland;
I will sweep her with the broom of destruction,^(BO)”
    declares the Lord Almighty.^(BP)

“Surely, as I have planned,^(BR) so it will be,
    and as I have purposed, so it will happen.^(BS)
25 I will crush the Assyrian^(BT) in my land;
    on my mountains I will trample him down.
His yoke^(BU) will be taken from my people,
    and his burden removed from their shoulders.^(BV)”

²⁶ This is the plan^(BW) determined for the whole world;
    this is the hand^(BX) stretched out over all nations.
²⁷ For the Lord Almighty has purposed,^(BY) and who can thwart him?
    His hand^(BZ) is stretched out, and who can turn it back?^(CA)

²⁹ Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,^(CE)
    that the rod that struck you is broken;
from the root of that snake will spring up a viper,^(CF)
    its fruit will be a darting, venomous serpent.^(CG)
30 The poorest of the poor will find pasture,
    and the needy^(CH) will lie down in safety.^(CI)
But your root I will destroy by famine;^(CJ)
    it will slay^(CK) your survivors.^(CL)

³¹ Wail,^(CM) you gate!^(CN) Howl, you city!
    Melt away, all you Philistines!^(CO)
A cloud of smoke comes from the north,^(CP)
    and there is not a straggler in its ranks.^(CQ)
32 What answer shall be given
    to the envoys^(CR) of that nation?
“The Lord has established Zion,^(CS)
    and in her his afflicted people will find refuge.^(CT)”

⁴ The earth dries up^(J) and withers,^(K)
    the world languishes and withers,
    the heavens^(L) languish with the earth.^(M)
5 The earth is defiled^(N) by its people;
    they have disobeyed^(O) the laws,
violated the statutes
    and broken the everlasting covenant.^(P)
6 Therefore a curse^(Q) consumes the earth;
    its people must bear their guilt.
Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up,^(R)
    and very few are left.
⁷ The new wine dries up^(S) and the vine withers;^(T)
    all the merrymakers groan.^(U)
8 The joyful timbrels^(V) are stilled,
    the noise^(W) of the revelers^(X) has stopped,
    the joyful harp^(Y) is silent.^(Z)
9 No longer do they drink wine^(AA) with a song;
    the beer is bitter^(AB) to its drinkers.
¹⁰ The ruined city^(AC) lies desolate;^(AD)
    the entrance to every house is barred.
¹¹ In the streets they cry out^(AE) for wine;^(AF)
    all joy turns to gloom,^(AG)
    all joyful sounds are banished from the earth.
¹² The city is left in ruins,^(AH)
    its gate^(AI) is battered to pieces.
¹³ So will it be on the earth
    and among the nations,
as when an olive tree is beaten,^(AJ)
    or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.^(AK)

¹⁴ They raise their voices, they shout for joy;^(AL)
    from the west^(AM) they acclaim the Lord’s majesty.
¹⁵ Therefore in the east^(AN) give glory^(AO) to the Lord;
    exalt^(AP) the name^(AQ) of the Lord, the God of Israel,
    in the islands^(AR) of the sea.
¹⁶ From the ends of the earth^(AS) we hear singing:^(AT)
    “Glory^(AU) to the Righteous One.”^(AV)

But I said, “I waste away, I waste away!^(AW)
    Woe^(AX) to me!
The treacherous^(AY) betray!
    With treachery the treacherous betray!^(AZ)”
¹⁷ Terror^(BA) and pit and snare^(BB) await you,
    people of the earth.^(BC)
18 Whoever flees^(BD) at the sound of terror
    will fall into a pit;^(BE)
whoever climbs out of the pit
    will be caught in a snare.^(BF)

The floodgates of the heavens^(BG) are opened,
    the foundations of the earth shake.^(BH)
19 The earth is broken up,^(BI)
    the earth is split asunder,^(BJ)
    the earth is violently shaken.
²⁰ The earth reels like a drunkard,^(BK)
    it sways like a hut^(BL) in the wind;
so heavy upon it is the guilt of its rebellion^(BM)
    that it falls^(BN)—never to rise again.^(BO)

²¹ In that day^(BP) the Lord will punish^(BQ)
    the powers^(BR) in the heavens above
    and the kings^(BS) on the earth below.
²² They will be herded together
    like prisoners^(BT) bound in a dungeon;^(BU)
they will be shut up in prison
    and be punished^[a] after many days.^(BV)
23 The moon will be dismayed,
    the sun^(BW) ashamed;
for the Lord Almighty will reign^(BX)
    on Mount Zion^(BY) and in Jerusalem,
    and before its elders—with great glory.^(BZ)

⁶ On this mountain^(CU) the Lord Almighty will prepare
    a feast^(CV) of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
    the best of meats and the finest of wines.^(CW)
7 On this mountain he will destroy
    the shroud^(CX) that enfolds all peoples,^(CY)
the sheet that covers all nations;
⁸     he will swallow up death^(CZ) forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears^(DA)
    from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace^(DB)
    from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.^(DC)

“Surely this is our God;^(DE)
    we trusted^(DF) in him, and he saved^(DG) us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
    let us rejoice^(DH) and be glad in his salvation.”^(DI)

¹⁰ The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain;^(DJ)
    but Moab^(DK) will be trampled in their land
    as straw is trampled down in the manure.
¹¹ They will stretch out their hands in it,
    as swimmers stretch out their hands to swim.
God will bring down^(DL) their pride^(DM)
    despite the cleverness^[b] of their hands.
¹² He will bring down your high fortified walls^(DN)
    and lay them low;^(DO)
he will bring them down to the ground,
    to the very dust.

We have a strong city;^(DR)
    God makes salvation
    its walls^(DS) and ramparts.^(DT)
2 Open the gates^(DU)
    that the righteous^(DV) nation may enter,
    the nation that keeps faith.
³ You will keep in perfect peace^(DW)
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust^(DX) in you.
⁴ Trust^(DY) in the Lord forever,^(DZ)
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock^(EA) eternal.
⁵ He humbles those who dwell on high,
    he lays the lofty city low;
he levels it to the ground^(EB)
    and casts it down to the dust.^(EC)
6 Feet trample^(ED) it down—
    the feet of the oppressed,^(EE)
    the footsteps of the poor.^(EF)

⁷ The path of the righteous is level;^(EG)
    you, the Upright One,^(EH) make the way of the righteous smooth.^(EI)
8 Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws,^[c](EJ)
    we wait^(EK) for you;
your name^(EL) and renown
    are the desire of our hearts.
⁹ My soul yearns for you in the night;^(EM)
    in the morning my spirit longs^(EN) for you.
When your judgments^(EO) come upon the earth,
    the people of the world learn righteousness.^(EP)
10 But when grace is shown to the wicked,^(EQ)
    they do not learn righteousness;
even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil^(ER)
    and do not regard^(ES) the majesty of the Lord.
¹¹ Lord, your hand is lifted high,^(ET)
    but they do not see^(EU) it.
Let them see your zeal^(EV) for your people and be put to shame;^(EW)
    let the fire^(EX) reserved for your enemies consume them.

¹² Lord, you establish peace^(EY) for us;
    all that we have accomplished you have done^(EZ) for us.
¹³ Lord our God, other lords^(FA) besides you have ruled over us,
    but your name^(FB) alone do we honor.^(FC)
14 They are now dead,^(FD) they live no more;
    their spirits^(FE) do not rise.
You punished them and brought them to ruin;^(FF)
    you wiped out all memory of them.^(FG)
15 You have enlarged the nation, Lord;
    you have enlarged the nation.^(FH)
You have gained glory for yourself;
    you have extended all the borders^(FI) of the land.

¹⁶ Lord, they came to you in their distress;^(FJ)
    when you disciplined^(FK) them,
    they could barely whisper^(FL) a prayer.^[d]
17 As a pregnant woman about to give birth^(FM)
    writhes and cries out in her pain,
    so were we in your presence, Lord.
¹⁸ We were with child, we writhed in labor,
    but we gave birth^(FN) to wind.
We have not brought salvation^(FO) to the earth,
    and the people of the world have not come to life.^(FP)

¹⁹ But your dead^(FQ) will live, Lord;
    their bodies will rise—
let those who dwell in the dust^(FR)
    wake up and shout for joy—
your dew^(FS) is like the dew of the morning;
    the earth will give birth to her dead.^(FT)

²⁰ Go, my people, enter your rooms
    and shut the doors^(FU) behind you;
hide^(FV) yourselves for a little while
    until his wrath^(FW) has passed by.^(FX)
21 See, the Lord is coming^(FY) out of his dwelling^(FZ)
    to punish^(GA) the people of the earth for their sins.
The earth will disclose the blood^(GB) shed on it;
    the earth will conceal its slain no longer.

the Lord will punish with his sword^(GD)—
    his fierce, great and powerful sword—
Leviathan^(GE) the gliding serpent,^(GF)
    Leviathan the coiling serpent;
he will slay the monster^(GG) of the sea.

“Sing^(GI) about a fruitful vineyard:^(GJ)
3     I, the Lord, watch over it;
    I water^(GK) it continually.
I guard^(GL) it day and night
    so that no one may harm^(GM) it.
⁴     I am not angry.
If only there were briers and thorns confronting me!
    I would march against them in battle;
    I would set them all on fire.^(GN)
5 Or else let them come to me for refuge;^(GO)
    let them make peace^(GP) with me,
    yes, let them make peace with me.”

⁶ In days to come Jacob will take root,^(GQ)
    Israel will bud and blossom^(GR)
    and fill all the world with fruit.^(GS)

⁷ Has the Lord struck her
    as he struck^(GT) down those who struck her?
Has she been killed
    as those were killed who killed her?
⁸ By warfare^[e] and exile^(GU) you contend with her—
    with his fierce blast he drives her out,
    as on a day the east wind^(GV) blows.
⁹ By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned^(GW) for,
    and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:^(GX)
When he makes all the altar stones^(GY)
    to be like limestone crushed to pieces,
no Asherah poles^[f](GZ) or incense altars^(HA)
    will be left standing.
¹⁰ The fortified city stands desolate,^(HB)
    an abandoned settlement, forsaken^(HC) like the wilderness;
there the calves graze,^(HD)
    there they lie down;^(HE)
    they strip its branches bare.
¹¹ When its twigs are dry, they are broken off^(HF)
    and women come and make fires^(HG) with them.
For this is a people without understanding;^(HH)
    so their Maker has no compassion on them,
    and their Creator^(HI) shows them no favor.^(HJ)