Judgment on Jerusalem and the Nations
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She listens to no voice; 2she accepts no correction. 3She does not trust in the LORD; she does not draw near to her God.
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4Her officials within her are roaring lions; her judges are 5evening wolves that leave nothing till the morning.
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6Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men; 7her priests 8profane what is holy; they do violence to the law.
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The LORD within her 9is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning he shows forth his justice; each dawn he does not fail; but 10the unjust knows no shame.
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11"I have cut off nations; their battlements are in ruins; I have laid waste their streets 12so that no one walks in them; their cities have been made desolate, without a man, without an inhabitant.
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13I said, 'Surely you will fear me; 14you will accept correction. Then youra dwelling would not be cut off according to all that I have appointed against you.'b But 15all the more they were eager to make all their deeds corrupt.
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"Therefore 16wait for me," declares the LORD, "for the day when I rise up to seize the prey. For my decision is 17to gather nations, to assemble kingdoms, to pour out upon them my indignation, all my burning anger; for in the fire of my jealousy 18all the earth shall be consumed.
The Conversion of the Nations
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"For at that time I will change the speech of the peoples to 19a pure speech, that all of them may call upon the name of the LORD and serve him with one accord.
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20From beyond the rivers 21of Cush my worshipers, the daughter of my dispersed ones, shall bring my offering.
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22"On that day 23you shall not be put to shame because of the deeds by which you have rebelled against me; for then 24I will remove from your midst your proudly exultant ones, and 25you shall no longer be haughty in my holy mountain.
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But I will leave in your midst a people 26humble and lowly. 27They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD,
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28those who are left in Israel; they 29shall do no injustice and speak no lies, 30nor shall there be found in their mouth a deceitful tongue. 31For they shall graze and lie down, and none shall make them afraid."
Israel's Joy and Restoration
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32Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!
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The LORD has taken away the judgments against you; he has cleared away your enemies. 33The King of Israel, 34the LORD, is in your midst; you shall never again fear evil.
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37The LORD your God is in your midst, 38a mighty one who will save; 39he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
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I will gather those of you who mourn 40for the festival, so that you will no longer suffer reproach.c
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)