1 G ather yourselves together, yes, gather together, O undesirable nation,

Bend yourselves, yea, bend ye, O nation not desired,

2 B efore the decree is issued, Or the day passes like chaff, Before the Lord ’s fierce anger comes upon you, Before the day of the Lord ’s anger comes upon you!

Before the bringing forth of a statute, As chaff hath the day passed on, While yet not come in upon you doth the heat of the anger of Jehovah, While yet not come in upon you doth a day of the anger of Jehovah,

3 S eek the Lord, all you meek of the earth, Who have upheld His justice. Seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be that you will be hidden In the day of the Lord ’s anger. Judgment on Nations

Seek Jehovah, all ye humble of the land, Who His judgment have done, Seek ye righteousness, seek humility, It may be ye are hidden in a day of the anger of Jehovah.

4 F or Gaza shall be forsaken, And Ashkelon desolate; They shall drive out Ashdod at noonday, And Ekron shall be uprooted.

For Gaza is forsaken, And Ashkelon for a desolation, Ashdod! at noon they do cast her forth, And Ekron is rooted up.

5 W oe 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: “I will destroy you; So there shall be no inhabitant.”

Ho! O inhabitants of the sea-coast, Nation of the Cherethites, A word of Jehovah against you, Canaan, land of the Philistines, And I have destroyed thee without an inhabitant.

6 T he seacoast shall be pastures, With shelters for shepherds and folds for flocks.

And the sea-coast hath been habitations, Cottages shepherds, and folds a flock.

7 T he coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; They shall feed their flocks there; In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down at evening. For the Lord their God will intervene for them, And return their captives.

And the coast hath been for the remnant of the house of Judah, By them they have pleasure, In houses of Ashkelon at even they lie down, For inspect them doth Jehovah their God, And He hath turned back their captivity.

8 “ I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the insults of the people of Ammon, With which they have reproached My people, And made arrogant threats against their borders.

I have heard the reproach of Moab, And the revilings of the sons of Ammon, Wherewith they reproached My people, And magnify against their border.

9 T herefore, as I live,” Says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Surely Moab shall be like Sodom, And the people of Ammon like Gomorrah— Overrun with weeds and saltpits, And a perpetual desolation. The residue of My people shall plunder them, And the remnant of My people shall possess them.”

Therefore, I live, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, Surely, Moab is as Sodom, And the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, An overrunning of nettles and salt-pits, And a desolation -- unto the age. A residue of My people do seize them, And a remnant of My nation inherit them.

10 T his they shall have for their pride, Because they have reproached and made arrogant threats Against the people of the Lord of hosts.

This to them for their arrogancy, Because they have reproached, And they magnify against the people of Jehovah of Hosts.

11 T he Lord will be awesome to them, For He will reduce to nothing all the gods of the earth; People shall worship Him, Each one from his place, Indeed all the shores of the nations.

Fearful Jehovah against them, For He made bare all gods of the land, And bow themselves to Him, each from his place, Do all islanders of the nations.

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

Also ye, O Cushim, pierced of My sword they.

13 A nd He will stretch out His hand against the north, Destroy Assyria, And make Nineveh a desolation, As dry as the wilderness.

And He stretcheth His hand against the north, And doth destroy Asshur, And he setteth Nineveh for a desolation, A dry land like a wilderness.

14 T he herds shall lie down in her midst, Every beast of the nation. Both the pelican and the bittern Shall lodge on the capitals of her pillars; Their voice shall sing in the windows; Desolation shall be at the threshold; For He will lay bare the cedar work.

And crouched in her midst have droves, Every beast of the nation, Both pelican and hedge-hog in her knobs lodge, A voice doth sing at the window, `Destruction at the threshold, For the cedar-work is exposed.'

15 T his is the rejoicing city That dwelt securely, That said in her heart, “I am it, and there is none besides me.” How has she become a desolation, A place for beasts to lie down! Everyone who passes by her Shall hiss and shake his fist.

This the exulting city that is dwelling confidently, That is saying in her heart, `I, and beside me there is none,' How hath she been for a desolation, A crouching-place for beasts, Every one passing by her doth hiss, He doth shake his hand!