1 G ather together. Gather together, O nation without shame,

¶ Search yourselves and one another, O unfriendly people;

2 b efore you are driven away like the waste from the grain. Gather together before the burning anger of the Lord comes upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger.

before the decree is executed, before the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD comes upon you, before the day of the LORD’s anger comes upon you.

3 L ook for the Lord, all you people of the earth who are not proud, and who have obeyed His Laws. Look for what is right and good. Have no pride. You may be kept safe on the day of the Lord’s anger. The Nations around Israel Are Judged

Seek ye the LORD, all ye humble of the earth, who have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek humility: it may be ye shall be kept in the day of the LORD’s anger.

4 F or Gaza will be left empty. Ashkelon will be laid waste. Ashdod’s people will be driven out at noon, and Ekron will be pulled up by the roots.

¶ For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall spoil Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

5 I t is bad for the people who live by the sea, the nation of the Cherethites! The Word of the Lord is against you, O Canaan, land of the Philistines. I will destroy you so that no people will be left living in you.

Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the people of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Palestinians, I will cause thee to be destroyed until there shall be no inhabitant left.

6 T he land by the sea will be open fields, a place for shepherds and fences for sheep.

And the sea coast shall be for dwellings and cottages for pastors, and sheepfolds.

7 T he land by the sea will be for those left of the people of Judah. They will let their flocks eat there. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. For the Lord their God will care for them and return their riches.

And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon they shall sleep for the night; for the LORD their God shall visit them and return their captives.

8 “ I have heard how Moab has made fun of My people and the sons of Ammon have spoken strong words against them. They have spoken in pride against My people’s land.

¶ I have heard the reproaches of Moab, and the revilings of the sons of Ammon, by which they have dishonoured my people and magnified themselves over their border.

9 S o as I live,” says the Lord of All, the God of Israel, “Moab will be like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon will be like Gomorrah, a land taken over by thistles and salt, a waste land forever. Those left of My people will rob them. Those left of My nation will take their land.”

Therefore as I live, said the LORD of the hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom and the sons of Ammon as Gomorrah, even a field of nettles and saltpits and a perpetual desolation; the remnant of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my Gentiles shall inherit them.

10 T his will happen to them because of their pride, because they have made fun of the people of the Lord of All.

This shall come upon them for their pride because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of the LORD of the hosts.

11 T hey will be filled with fear because of the Lord. He will destroy all the gods of the earth. All the nations beside the sea will worship Him, every one in his own land.

The LORD shall be terrible against them for he will weaken all the gods of the earth; and each one from his place shall worship him, even all the isles of the Gentiles.

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

¶ Ye Ethiopians also, ye shall be slain by my sword.

13 H e will put out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria. And He will destroy Nineveh, making it a waste land like the desert.

And he will stretch out his hand over the north wind and destroy Assyria and will make Nineveh a desolation and dry like a wilderness.

14 F locks will lie down in it, all the animals of the field. The pelican and the hedgehog will live in the tops of its pillars. Birds will sing in the window. And the doorways will be broken down. The pieces of cedar will not be covered.

And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the Gentiles; both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in her thresholds; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the gates: for her cedar work shall be uncovered.

15 T his is the city that is full of joy and takes it easy and thinks it is safe. It says to itself, “I am, and there is no one else.” How it has become a waste, a resting place for animals! All who pass by will make fun of her and laugh at her shaking their hands.

This is the rejoicing city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am, and there is none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! anyone that passes by her shall hiss and wag his hand.