Hear this, all you nations. Listen, all you who live on the earth. The Lord God will come from his Holy Temple. He will come as a witness against you.

See, the Lord is coming out of his place in heaven. He is coming down to walk on the tops of the mountains.

I will do this because Samaria’s wound cannot be healed. Her destruction will spread to Judah. It will reach the city gate of my people. It will come all the way to Jerusalem.

Pass on your way, naked and ashamed, you who live in Shaphir. Those who live in Zaanan won’t come out to help you. The people in Beth Ezel will cry. But they will not give you any support.

Those who live in Maroth will be anxious for good news to come. This is because trouble will come from the Lord. It will come all the way to the gate of Jerusalem.

The Evil Plans of People

How terrible it will be for people who plan wickedness. They lie on their beds and make evil plans. When the morning light comes, they do the things they planned. They do them just because they have the power to do so.

At that time people will make fun of you. They will sing this sad song about you: ‘We are completely ruined. The Lord has taken away our land. Yes, he has taken our land away from us. He has divided our fields among our enemies!’”

The Mountain of the Lord

In the last days the mountain on which the Lord’s Temple stands will become the most important of all mountains. It will be raised above the hills. People from other nations will come streaming to it.

Many nations will come and say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord. Let us go to the Temple of the God of Jacob! Then God will teach us his ways. And we will obey his teachings.” The Lord’s teachings will go out from Jerusalem. The word of the Lord will go out from Jerusalem.

And you, watchtower of the flocks, strong city of Jerusalem, you will be a kingdom as in the past. Jerusalem, the right to rule will come again to you.”

But now many nations have come to fight against you. They say, “Let’s destroy Jerusalem and be proud we have defeated her.”

The Ruler to Be Born in Bethlehem

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are one of the smallest towns in Judah. But from you will come one who will rule Israel for me. He comes from very old times, from days long ago.”

The Lord will leave his people in Babylon until Jerusalem, who is in labor, gives birth to her children. Then his brothers who are in captivity will return. They will come back to the people of Israel living in Judah.

He will bring peace.

Rescue and Punishment

The Assyrian army will come into our country. They will destroy our large houses. But we will choose seven or eight leaders. They will shepherd our people.

They will destroy the Assyrians with their swords. They will conquer the land of Assyria with their swords drawn. The Assyrians will come into our land. They will come within our borders. But the leaders of Israel will save us from them.

The Lord’s Complaint

Now hear what the Lord says: “Get up; plead your case in front of the mountains. Let the hills hear your story.

Mountains, listen to the Lord’s complaint. Foundations of the earth, listen to the Lord. The Lord has a complaint against his people. He will prove that Israel is wrong.”

You say, “What can I bring with me when I come before the Lord? What can I bring when I bow before God on high? Should I come before the Lord with burnt offerings, with year-old calves?

Even the best of them is like a thornbush. Even the nicest of them is worse than a thornbush. Your watchmen warned you about this day. Now it has come. Now you will be punished. Your punishment will amaze you.

The Jews to Return

The time will come when your walls will be built again. At that time your country will grow.

Your people will come back to your land. They will come from Assyria and the cities of Egypt. They will come from the countries between the river of Egypt and the Euphrates River. They will come from the countries between the Mediterranean Sea in the west and the mountains in the east.

They will crawl in the dust like a snake. They will shake with fear. They will crawl on the ground like insects crawling from their holes. They will come trembling to you, Lord our God. They will tremble in fear before you.