10 “‘This is what the Lord God says: On that day, thoughts will arise in your mind, and you will devise an evil plan. 11 You will say, “I will advance against a land of open villages; I will come against a tranquil people who are living securely,(A) all of them living without walls and without bars or gates”(B) 12 in order to seize spoil and carry off plunder,(C) to turn your hand against ruins now inhabited and against a people gathered from the nations, who have been acquiring cattle and possessions and who live at the center of the world. 13 Sheba(D) and Dedan(E) and the merchants of Tarshish(F) with all its rulers[a] will ask you, “Have you come to seize spoil? Have you mobilized your assembly to carry off plunder, to make off with silver and gold, to take cattle and possessions, to seize plenty of spoil?”’

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Footnotes

  1. 38:13 Lit young lions, or villages

10 “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: At that time evil thoughts will come to your mind, and you will devise a wicked scheme. 11 You will say, ‘Israel is an unprotected land filled with unwalled villages! I will march against her and destroy these people who live in such confidence! 12 I will go to those formerly desolate cities that are now filled with people who have returned from exile in many nations. I will capture vast amounts of plunder, for the people are rich with livestock and other possessions now. They think the whole world revolves around them!’ 13 But Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish will ask, ‘Do you really think the armies you have gathered can rob them of silver and gold? Do you think you can drive away their livestock and seize their goods and carry off plunder?’

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