Hear, O peoples, all of you; Listen closely, O earth and all that is in it, And let the Lord God be witness [giving a testimony of the judgment] against you, The Lord from His holy temple [in the heavens].

All this is because of the rebellion and apostasy of Jacob And for the sins of the house of Israel (the Northern Kingdom). What is the rebellion and apostasy of Jacob? Is it not [the abandonment of God in order to worship the idols of] Samaria? What are the high places [of idolatry] in Judah (the Southern Kingdom)? Are they not Jerusalem [the capital and center of corruption]?

All her idols shall be broken in pieces, All her earnings [from her idolatry] shall be burned with fire, And all her images I shall make desolate; For from the earnings of a prostitute she collected them, And to the earnings of a prostitute they shall return.

Announce it not in Gath [in Philistia], Weep not at all [and in this way betray your grief to Gentiles]; In Beth-le-aphrah (House of Dust) roll in the dust [among your own people].

“I shall most certainly assemble all of you, O Jacob; I shall surely gather the remnant of Israel. I shall bring them together like sheep in the fold [multiplying the nation]; Like a flock in the midst of its pasture. The place will swarm with many people and hum loudly with noise.

The seers shall be ashamed And the diviners discredited and embarrassed; Indeed, they shall all cover their mouths [in shame] Because there is no answer from God.

For all the peoples [now] walk Each in the name of his god [in a transient relationship], As for us, we shall walk [securely] In the name of the Lord our [true] God forever and ever.

“Arise and thresh, O Daughter of Zion! For I will make your horn iron And I will make your hoofs bronze; That you may beat many peoples in pieces [trampling down your enemies], That you may devote to the Lord their unjust gain (pagan possessions) And their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

They shall devastate the land of Assyria with the sword and The land of Nimrod within her [own] gates. And He (the Messiah) shall rescue us from the Assyrian (all enemy nations) When he attacks our land And when he tramples our territory.

Your hand will be lifted up against your adversaries, And all your enemies shall be cut off and destroyed.

“I will cut off the cities of your land And tear down all your fortifications.

“For [you have kept] the statutes of Omri [the idolatrous king], And all the works of the [wicked] house (dynasty) of Ahab; And you walk in their counsels and policies. Therefore, I shall hand you over for destruction and horror And your [city’s] inhabitants for ridicule, And you shall bear the rebuke and scorn of My people.”

The godly person [who is faithful and loyal to God] has perished from the earth, And there is no upright person [one with good character and moral integrity] among men. They all lie in wait to shed blood; Each hunts the other with a net.

Then my enemy [all the pagan nations] shall see it, And shame [for despising the Lord] will cover her who said to me, “Where is the Lord your God?” My eyes will look on her [with satisfaction at her judgment]; Now she (unbelievers) will be trampled down Like mud of the streets.

The [pagan] nations shall see [God’s omnipotence in delivering Israel] and be ashamed Of all their might [which cannot be compared to His]. They shall put their hand on their mouth [in silent astonishment]; Their ears shall be deaf.

He shall again have compassion on us; He will subdue and tread underfoot our wickedness [destroying sin’s power]. Yes, You will cast all our sins Into the depths of the sea.