And I am very angry at the nations that feel so safe. I was only a little angry, and I used them to punish my people. But they caused too much damage.”

At that time people from many nations will come to me. They will become my people, and I will live in your city.” Then you will know it was the Lord All-Powerful who sent me to tell you these things.

The Lord All-Powerful says, “Look, I am rescuing my people from countries in the east and west.

I will bring them back here, and they will live in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be their good and faithful God.”

“These people will plant in peace. Their grapevines will produce grapes. The land will give good crops, and the skies will give rain. I will give all these things to my people.

They will no longer eat meat with the blood still in it or any other forbidden food. Any Philistine left alive will become a part of my people; they will be just one more tribe in Judah. The people of Ekron will become a part of my people, as the Jebusites did.

I will protect my country. I will not let enemy armies pass through it. I will not let them hurt my people anymore. With my own eyes I have seen how much my people have suffered.”

Yes, I have been scattering my people throughout the nations. But in those faraway places, they will remember me. They and their children will survive, and they will come back.

I, the Lord, will make my people strong, and they will live for me.” This is what the Lord said.

Then I will test those survivors by giving them many troubles. The troubles will be like the fire a person uses to prove silver is pure. I will test them the way a person tests gold. Then they will call to me for help, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘You are my people.’ And they will say, ‘The Lord is my God.’”