1 G ather yourselves together, yes, gather together, you nation that has no shame,

Collect your thoughts, yes, unbend yourselves, O shameless nation!

2 b efore the appointed time when the day passes as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Yahweh comes on you, before the day of Yahweh’s anger comes on you.

Therefore consider, before God’s decree brings forth, before the time is gone like the drifting chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord comes upon you—yes, before the day of the wrath of the Lord comes upon you!

3 S eek Yahweh, 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 Yahweh’s anger.

Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land who have acted in compliance with His revealed will and have kept His commandments; seek righteousness, seek humility. It may be you will be hidden in the day of the Lord’s anger.

4 F or Gaza will be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation. They will drive out Ashdod at noonday, and Ekron will be rooted up.

For Gaza shall be forsaken and Ashkelon shall become a desolation; the people of Ashdod shall be driven out at noonday and Ekron shall be uprooted.

5 W oe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! Yahweh’s word is against you, Canaan, the land of the Philistines. I will destroy you, that there will be no inhabitant.

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; I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.

6 T he sea coast will be pastures, with cottages for shepherds and folds for flocks.

And the seacoast shall be pastures, with dwelling places and caves for shepherds and folds for flocks.

7 T he 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 Yahweh, their God, will visit them, and restore them.

The seacoast shall belong to the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall pasture their flocks upon it; in the houses of Ashkelon shall they of Judah lie down in the evening. For the Lord their God shall visit them and restore them from their captivity.

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.

I have heard the taunts of Moab and the revilings of the Ammonites by which they have reproached My people, and magnified themselves and made boasts against their territory.

9 T herefore as I live, says Yahweh 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.

Therefore, as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Moab shall become like Sodom and the Ammonites like Gomorrah, a land possessed by nettles and wild vetches and salt pits, and a perpetual desolation. The remnant of My people shall make a prey of them and what is left of My nation shall possess them.

10 T his they will have for their pride, because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of Armies.

This shall they have for their pride, because they have taunted and boasted against the people of the Lord of hosts.

11 Y ahweh 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.

The Lord will be terrible to them, for He will make lean and famish all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship Him, every one from his place, even all the isles and coastlands of the nations.

12 Y ou Cushites also, you will be killed by my sword.

You Ethiopians also, you shall be slain by My sword.

13 H e will stretch out his hand against the north, destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desolation, as dry as the wilderness.

And will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria and will make Nineveh a desolation, dry as the desert.

14 H erds will lie down in the middle of her, all the animals of the nations. 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.

Herds shall lie down in the midst of, all the beasts of the nations and of every kind; both the pelican and the hedgehog shall lodge on the upper part of her pillars; the voice shall sing in the windows; desolation and drought shall be on the thresholds, for her cedar paneling will He lay bare.

15 T his 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.

This is the joyous and exultant city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am and there is none beside me. What a desolation she has become, a lair for beasts! Everyone who passes by her shall hiss and wave his hand.