² “I am going to make Jerusalem a cup^(A) that sends all the surrounding peoples reeling.^(B) Judah^(C) will be besieged as well as Jerusalem. ³ On that day, when all the nations^(D) of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock^(E) for all the nations. All who try to move it will injure^(F) themselves. ⁴ On that day I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness,” declares the Lord. “I will keep a watchful eye over Judah, but I will blind all the horses of the nations.^{(G) 5} Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, ‘The people of Jerusalem are strong,^(H) because the Lord Almighty is their God.’

⁶ “On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a firepot^(I) in a woodpile, like a flaming torch among sheaves. They will consume^(J) all the surrounding peoples right and left, but Jerusalem will remain intact^(K) in her place.

⁷ “The Lord will save the dwellings of Judah first, so that the honor of the house of David and of Jerusalem’s inhabitants may not be greater than that of Judah.^{(L) 8} On that day the Lord will shield^(M) those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest^(N) among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God,^(O) like the angel of the Lord going before^(P) them. ⁹ On that day I will set out to destroy all the nations^(Q) that attack Jerusalem.^(R)

Mourning for the One They Pierced

¹⁰ “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit^[a](S) of grace and supplication.^(T) They will look on^[b] me, the one they have pierced,^(U) and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child,^(V) and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.^(W)

² I will gather all the nations^(A) to Jerusalem to fight against it;^(B) the city will be captured, the houses ransacked, and the women raped.^(C) Half of the city will go into exile, but the rest of the people will not be taken from the city.^(D)

²³ And the nations will know that the people of Israel went into exile for their sin, because they were unfaithful to me. So I hid my face from them and handed them over to their enemies, and they all fell by the sword.^{(A) 24} I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their offenses, and I hid my face from them.^(B)

²⁵ “Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I will now restore the fortunes of Jacob^[a](C) and will have compassion^(D) on all the people of Israel, and I will be zealous for my holy name.^{(E) 26} They will forget their shame and all the unfaithfulness they showed toward me when they lived in safety^(F) in their land with no one to make them afraid.^{(G) 27} When I have brought them back from the nations and have gathered them from the countries of their enemies, I will be proved holy through them in the sight of many nations.^{(H) 28} Then they will know that I am the Lord their God, for though I sent them into exile among the nations, I will gather them^(I) to their own land, not leaving any behind.^{(J) 29} I will no longer hide my face^(K) from them, for I will pour out my Spirit^(L) on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(M)”

The Nations Judged

⁴ “Now what have you against me, Tyre and Sidon^(I) and all you regions of Philistia?^(J) Are you repaying me for something I have done? If you are paying me back, I will swiftly and speedily return on your own heads what you have done.^{(K) 5} For you took my silver and my gold and carried off my finest treasures to your temples.^{[c](L) 6} You sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks,^(M) that you might send them far from their homeland.

⁷ “See, I am going to rouse them out of the places to which you sold them,^(N) and I will return^(O) on your own heads what you have done. ⁸ I will sell your sons^(P) and daughters to the people of Judah,^(Q) and they will sell them to the Sabeans,^(R) a nation far away.” The Lord has spoken.^(S)

Blessings for God’s People