We have heard a message from the Lord:
    An envoy^(E) was sent to the nations to say,
“Rise, let us go against her for battle”^(F)—

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

¹⁹ But Egypt^(A) will be desolate,
    Edom^(B) a desert waste,
because of violence^(C) done to the people of Judah,
    in whose land they shed innocent blood.

“It is I, proclaiming victory,
    mighty to save.”^(E)

² Why are your garments red,
    like those of one treading the winepress?^(F)

³ “I have trodden the winepress^(G) alone;
    from the nations no one was with me.
I trampled^(H) them in my anger
    and trod them down in my wrath;^(I)
their blood spattered my garments,^(J)
    and I stained all my clothing.
⁴ It was for me the day of vengeance;^(K)
    the year for me to redeem had come.
⁵ I looked, but there was no one^(L) to help,
    I was appalled that no one gave support;
so my own arm^(M) achieved salvation for me,
    and my own wrath sustained me.^(N)
6 I trampled^(O) the nations in my anger;
    in my wrath I made them drunk^(P)
    and poured their blood^(Q) on the ground.”

⁴ “Prepare for battle against her!
    Arise, let us attack at noon!^(A)
But, alas, the daylight is fading,
    and the shadows of evening grow long.
⁵ So arise, let us attack at night
    and destroy her fortresses!”

⁵ My sword^(P) has drunk its fill in the heavens;
    see, it descends in judgment on Edom,^(Q)
    the people I have totally destroyed.^(R)
6 The sword^(S) of the Lord is bathed in blood,
    it is covered with fat—
the blood of lambs and goats,
    fat from the kidneys of rams.
For the Lord has a sacrifice^(T) in Bozrah^(U)
    and a great slaughter^(V) in the land of Edom.
⁷ And the wild oxen^(W) will fall with them,
    the bull calves and the great bulls.^(X)
Their land will be drenched with blood,^(Y)
    and the dust will be soaked with fat.

⁸ For the Lord has a day^(Z) of vengeance,^(AA)
    a year of retribution,^(AB) to uphold Zion’s cause.
⁹ Edom’s streams will be turned into pitch,
    her dust into burning sulfur;^(AC)
    her land will become blazing pitch!
¹⁰ It will not be quenched^(AD) night or day;
    its smoke will rise forever.^(AE)
From generation to generation^(AF) it will lie desolate;^(AG)
    no one will ever pass through it again.
¹¹ The desert owl^[b](AH) and screech owl^[c] will possess it;
    the great owl^[d] and the raven^(AI) will nest there.
God will stretch out over Edom^(AJ)
    the measuring line of chaos^(AK)
    and the plumb line^(AL) of desolation.
¹² Her nobles will have nothing there to be called a kingdom,
    all her princes^(AM) will vanish^(AN) away.
¹³ Thorns^(AO) will overrun her citadels,
    nettles and brambles her strongholds.^(AP)
She will become a haunt for jackals,^(AQ)
    a home for owls.^(AR)
14 Desert creatures^(AS) will meet with hyenas,^(AT)
    and wild goats will bleat to each other;
there the night creatures^(AU) will also lie down
    and find for themselves places of rest.
¹⁵ The owl will nest there and lay eggs,
    she will hatch them, and care for her young
    under the shadow of her wings;^(AV)
there also the falcons^(AW) will gather,
    each with its mate.

None of these will be missing,^(AY)
    not one will lack her mate.
For it is his mouth^(AZ) that has given the order,^(BA)
    and his Spirit will gather them together.
¹⁷ He allots their portions;^(BB)
    his hand distributes them by measure.
They will possess it forever
    and dwell there from generation to generation.^(BC)