The Wickedness of Jerusalem
Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted,
To the oppressing city!
2 She has not obeyed His voice,
She has not received correction;
She has not trusted in the Lord,
She has not drawn near to her God.
3 aHer princes in her midst are roaring lions;
Her judges are bevening wolves
That leave not a bone till morning.
4 Her aprophets are insolent, treacherous people;
Her priests have polluted the sanctuary,
They have done bviolence to the law.
5 The Lord is righteous in her midst,
He will do no unrighteousness.
Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He never fails,
But athe unjust knows no shame.
6 “I have cut off nations,
Their fortresses are devastated;
I have made their streets desolate,
With none passing by.
Their cities are destroyed;
There is no one, no inhabitant.
7 aI said, ‘Surely you will fear Me,
You will receive instruction’—
So that her dwelling would not be cut off,
Despite everything for which I punished her.
But they rose early and bcorrupted all their deeds.
A Faithful Remnant
8 “Therefore await for Me,” says the Lord,
“Until the day I rise up for plunder;
My determination is to bgather the nations
To My assembly of kingdoms,
To pour on them My indignation,
All My fierce anger;
All the earth cshall be devoured
With the fire of My jealousy.
9 “For then I will restore to the peoples aa pure language,
That they all may call on the name of the Lord,
To serve Him with one accord.
10 aFrom beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
My worshipers,
The daughter of My dispersed ones,
Shall bring My offering.
11 In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds
In which you transgress against Me;
For then I will take away from your midst
Those who arejoice in your pride,
And you shall no longer be haughty
In My holy mountain.
12 I will leave in your midst
aA meek and humble people,
And they shall trust in the name of the Lord.
13 aThe remnant of Israel bshall do no unrighteousness
cAnd speak no lies,
Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth;
For dthey shall feed their flocks and lie down,
And no one shall make them afraid.”
Joy in God’s Faithfulness
14 aSing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The Lord has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
aThe King of Israel, the Lord, bis in your midst;
You shall see disaster no more.
16 In that day ait shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, blet not your hands be weak.
17 The Lord your God ain your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
bHe will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
18 “I will gather those who asorrow over the appointed assembly,
Who are among you,
To whom its reproach is a burden.
19 Behold, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you;
I will save the alame,
And gather those who were driven out;
I will appoint them for praise and fame
In every land where they were put to shame.
20 At that time aI will bring you back,
Even at the time I gather you;
For I will give you fame and praise
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I return your captives before your eyes,”
Says the Lord.
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson.
All rights reserved.