Assyria Will Be Punished

The Lord of Armies has taken an oath: “It will happen exactly as I’ve intended. It will turn out exactly as I’ve planned.

The Lord of Armies has planned it. Who can stop it? He is ready to use his power. Who can turn it back?

Fortified cities will disappear from Ephraim, and the kingdom will disappear from Damascus. The remaining few from Aram will share Israel’s honor,” declares the Lord of Armies.

At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord of Armies from a tall and smooth-skinned people, a people ⌞who are⌟ feared far and near, a strong and aggressive nation, whose land is divided by rivers. They will be brought to Mount Zion, the place where the name of the Lord of Armies is.

I will hand over the Egyptians to a harsh master. A strong king will rule them,” declares the Almighty Lord of Armies.

Where are your wise men now? Let them tell you. Let them explain what the Lord of Armies is planning against Egypt.

At that time Egyptians will act like women. They will tremble and be terrified because the Lord of Armies will shake his fist at them.

The land of Judah will terrify the Egyptians. Whenever they are reminded of Judah, they will be terrified of it because of what the Lord of Armies is planning against it.

When that day comes, five cities in Egypt will have people that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord of Armies. One of the cities will be called Heliopolis.

These objects will be a sign and a witness that the Lord of Armies is in Egypt. When the people cry to the Lord because of those who oppress them, he will send a savior and defender to rescue them.

The Lord of Armies will bless them, saying, “My people Egypt, the work of my hands Assyria, and my possession Israel are blessed.”

You, my people, have been threshed and winnowed. I make known to you what I heard from the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel.

The Almighty Lord of Armies has chosen a special day. It will be a day of confusion and trampling in the valley of Vision, ⌞a day of⌟ tearing down walls and crying for help in the mountains.

On that day the Almighty Lord of Armies will call for crying and for mourning, for shaving your heads and for wearing sackcloth.

The Lord of Armies revealed this to me: “Certainly, this wrong will not be forgiven even when you die,” says the Almighty Lord of Armies.

Shebna’s Position Will Be Given to Eliakim

This is what the Almighty Lord of Armies says: Go to Shebna, the man in charge of the palace, and say ⌞to him⌟,

The Lord of Armies declares, “On that day the peg which I firmly fastened in place will be removed. It will be cut off and will fall, and everything hanging on it will be destroyed.” The Lord has spoken.

The Lord of Armies planned this in order to dishonor all arrogant people and to humiliate all the honored people of the world.

The moon will be embarrassed. The sun will be ashamed, because the Lord of Armies will rule on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem. He will be glorious in the presence of his respected leaders.

Death Will Be Swallowed Up

On this mountain the Lord of Armies will prepare for all people a feast with the best foods, a banquet with aged wines, with the best foods and the finest wines.

When that day comes, the Lord of Armies will be like a glorious crown for his few remaining people.

Now stop laughing, or your chains will be tightened, because I have heard that the Almighty Lord of Armies has finally determined to destroy the whole land.

All of this has come from the Lord of Armies. His counsel is wonderful, and his wisdom is great.

The Lord of Armies will punish you with thunder, earthquakes, and loud noises, with windstorms, rainstorms, and fire storms.

This is what the Lord said to me: A lion, even a young lion, growls over its prey when a crowd of shepherds is called to fight it. It isn’t frightened by their voices or disturbed by the noise they make. So the Lord of Armies will come to fight for Mount Zion and its hill.