2
1 Gather yourselves together, yes,
gather together,
you nation that
has no shame,
2 before
the appointed time
when the day
passes as the
chaff, before the
fierce anger of
the LORD comes
on you, before
the day of
the LORD’s anger
comes on you.
3 Seek
the LORD, all
you humble of
the land, who
have kept his
ordinances. Seek
righteousness. Seek
humility. It may
be that you
will be hidden
in the day
of the LORD’s
anger.
4 For
Gaza will be
forsaken, and Ashkelon
a desolation. They
will drive
out Ashdod at
noonday, and Ekron
will be rooted up.
5 Woe
to the inhabitants
of the sea
coast, the nation
of the Cherethites!
The LORD’s word
is against you,
Canaan, the land
of the Philistines.
I will destroy you
until there is no
inhabitant.
6 The
sea coast will
be pastures, with
cottages for
shepherds and
folds for flocks.
7 The
coast will be
for the remnant
of the house
of Judah. They
will find pasture.
In the houses
of Ashkelon, they
will lie down
in the evening,
for the LORD,
their God,
will visit them
and restore them.
8 I
have heard the
reproach of Moab
and the insults
of the children
of Ammon, with
which they have
reproached my
people and
magnified themselves
against their
border.
9 Therefore,
as I live,
says the LORD
of Armies, the
God of Israel,
surely Moab will
be as Sodom,
and the children
of Ammon as
Gomorrah, a
possession of
nettles and salt
pits, and a
perpetual desolation.
The remnant of
my people
will plunder them,
and the survivors
of my nation
will inherit them.
10 This
they will have
for their pride,
because they have
reproached and
magnified themselves
against the people
of the LORD
of Armies.
11 The
LORD will be
awesome to them,
for he will
famish all the gods
of the land.
Men will worship
him, everyone from
his place, even
all the shores of
the nations.
12 You Cushites
also, you will
be killed by
my sword.
13 He
will stretch out
his hand against
the north, destroy Assyria,
and will make
Nineveh a
desolation, as dry
as the wilderness.
14 Herds
will lie down
in the middle
of her, all
kinds of animals.
Both the pelican
and the porcupine
will lodge in
its capitals.
Their calls
will echo through
the windows.
Desolation will be
in the thresholds,
for he has
laid bare the cedar
beams.
15 This
is the joyous
city that
lived carelessly, that said
in her heart, “I
am, and there
is no one
besides me.” How
she has become
a desolation, a
place for animals
to lie down
in! Everyone who
passes by her
will hiss and
shake their fists.