You will not go to all the hills that were once tilled with a hoe, for fear of the thorns and briers. Those hills will be places for oxen to graze and for sheep to trample.

Do not call everything a conspiracy that these people say is a conspiracy. Do not fear what they fear; do not be terrified.

You are to regard only the Lord of Armies as holy. Only he should be feared; only he should be held in awe.

Therefore, the Lord God of Armies says this: “My people who dwell in Zion, do not fear Assyria, though they strike you with a rod and raise their staff over you as the Egyptians did.

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.

His delight will be in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, he will not execute justice by what he hears with his ears,

They will be horrified; pain and agony will seize them; they will be in anguish like a woman in labor. They will look at each other, their faces flushed with fear.

Wail, you gates! Cry out, city! Tremble with fear, all Philistia! For a cloud of dust is coming from the north, and there is no one missing from the invader’s ranks.

The cities of Aroer are abandoned; they will be places for flocks. They will lie down without fear.

which sends envoys by sea, in reed vessels over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and near, a powerful nation with a strange language, whose land is divided by rivers.

At that time a gift will be brought to the Lord of Armies from a people tall and smooth-skinned, a people feared far and near, a powerful nation with a strange language, whose land is divided by rivers—to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the Lord of Armies.

Egypt Will Know the Lord

On that day Egypt will be like women and will tremble with fear because of the threatening hand of the Lord of Armies when he raises it against them.

Therefore, a strong people will honor you. The cities of violent nations will fear you.

His rock will pass away because of fear, and his officers will be afraid because of the signal flag. This is the Lord’s declaration—whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

There will be times of security for you— a storehouse of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. The fear of the Lord is Zion’s treasure.

Say to the cowardly: “Be strong; do not fear! Here is your God; vengeance is coming. God’s retribution is coming; he will save you.”

Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.

For I am the Lord your God, who holds your right hand, who says to you, “Do not fear, I will help you.

Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel. I will help you”— this is the Lord’s declaration. Your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

Restoration of Israel

Now this is what the Lord says— the one who created you, Jacob, and the one who formed you, Israel— “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are mine.

Do not fear, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west.

This is the word of the Lord your Maker, the one who formed you from the womb: He will help you. Do not fear, Jacob my servant, Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

Who among you fears the Lord and listens to his servant? Who among you walks in darkness, and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord; let him lean on his God.

Listen to me, you who know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my instruction: do not fear disgrace by men, and do not be shattered by their taunts.

I—I am the one who comforts you. Who are you that you should fear humans who die, or a son of man who is given up like grass?