Judgments on Judah’s Enemies

1 Gather yourselves together, yes, gather,
          O nation without shame,

2 Before the decree takes effect—
          The day passes like the chaff—
          Before the burning anger of the LORD comes upon you,
          Before the day of the LORD’S anger comes upon you.

3 Seek the LORD,
          All you humble of the earth
          Who have carried out His ordinances;
          Seek righteousness, seek humility.
          Perhaps you will be hidden
          In the day of the LORD’S anger.

4 For Gaza will be abandoned
          And Ashkelon a desolation;
          Ashdod will be driven out at noon
          And Ekron will be uprooted.

5 Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast,
          The nation of the Cherethites!
          The word of the LORD is against you,
          O Canaan, land of the Philistines;
          And I will destroy you
          So that there will be no inhabitant.

6 So the seacoast will be pastures,
          With caves for shepherds and folds for flocks.

7 And the coast will be
          For the remnant of the house of Judah,
          They will pasture on it.
          In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening;
          For the LORD their God will care for them
          And restore their fortune.

8 “I have heard the taunting of Moab
          And the revilings of the sons of Ammon,
          With which they have taunted My people
          And become arrogant against their territory.

9 “Therefore, as I live,” declares the LORD of hosts,
          The God of Israel,
          “Surely Moab will be like Sodom
          And the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah—
          A place possessed by nettles and salt pits,
          And a perpetual desolation.
          The remnant of My people will plunder them
          And the remainder of My nation will inherit them.”

10 This they will have in return for their pride, because they have taunted and become arrogant against the people of the LORD of hosts. 11 The LORD will be terrifying to them, for He will starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.

12 “You also, O Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”

13 And He will stretch out His hand against the north
          And destroy Assyria,
          And He will make Nineveh a desolation,
          Parched like the wilderness.

14 Flocks will lie down in her midst,
          All beasts which range in herds;
          Both the pelican and the hedgehog
          Will lodge in the tops of her pillars;
          Birds will sing in the window,
          Desolation will be on the threshold;
          For He has laid bare the cedar work.

15 This is the exultant city
          Which dwells securely,
          Who says in her heart,
          “I am, and there is no one besides me.”
          How she has become a desolation,
          A resting place for beasts!
          Everyone who passes by her will hiss
          And wave his hand in contempt.