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Declaration of war

Announce this among the nations:
    Prepare a holy war,
        wake up the warriors;
    let all the soldiers draw near,
        let them come up!
10 Beat the iron tips of your plows into swords
            and your pruning tools into spears;
        let the weakling say, “I am mighty.”
11 Come quickly,
        all you surrounding nations;
    gather yourselves there;
        bring your mighty ones, Lord.
12 Let the nations prepare themselves,
        and come up to the Jehoshaphat Valley;
            for there I will sit to judge
                all the surrounding nations.
13 Cut with the sickle,
        for the harvest is ripe.
    Go and crush grapes,
        for the winepress is full.
    The jars overflow with wine,
        for their wickedness is great.
14 Crowd after crowd fills the valley of judgment,
    for the day of the Lord is near
        in the valley of judgment.
15 The sun and the moon are darkened;
    the stars have ceased shining.

Salvation for God’s people

16 The Lord roars from Zion,
        and utters his voice from Jerusalem;
        the heavens and the earth quake.
    But the Lord is a refuge for his people,
        a shelter for the people of Israel.
17 So you will know that I am the Lord your God,
        settle down in Zion, my holy mountain.
    Jerusalem will be holy,
        and never again will strangers pass through it.

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Proclaim this among the nations:
    Prepare for war!(A)
Rouse the warriors!(B)
    Let all the fighting men draw near and attack.
10 Beat your plowshares into swords
    and your pruning hooks(C) into spears.(D)
Let the weakling(E) say,
    “I am strong!”(F)
11 Come quickly, all you nations from every side,
    and assemble(G) there.

Bring down your warriors,(H) Lord!

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

14 Multitudes,(O) multitudes
    in the valley(P) of decision!
For the day of the Lord(Q) is near
    in the valley of decision.(R)
15 The sun and moon will be darkened,
    and the stars no longer shine.(S)
16 The Lord will roar(T) from Zion
    and thunder from Jerusalem;(U)
    the earth and the heavens will tremble.(V)
But the Lord will be a refuge(W) for his people,
    a stronghold(X) for the people of Israel.

Blessings for God’s People

17 “Then you will know(Y) that I, the Lord your God,(Z)
    dwell in Zion,(AA) my holy hill.(AB)
Jerusalem will be holy;(AC)
    never again will foreigners invade her.(AD)

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