Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help , who rely on horses , who trust in their abundance of chariots ... and in their multitude ... of horsemen. ... They do not look to the Holy One of Israel ; - they do not seek the LORD.
Yet He too (is) wise and brings disaster ; - He does not call back His words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked and against the allies of evildoers ....
But the Egyptians are men , not God ; their horses are flesh , not spirit. When the LORD stretches out His hand , the helper will stumble , and the one he helps will fall ; both will perish together.
For this is what the LORD has said to me : “ Like a lion roaring or a young lion over its prey — and though a band of shepherds is called out against it , it is not terrified by their shouting or subdued by their clamor ... — so the LORD of Hosts will come down to do battle on Mount Zion (and) its heights.
Like birds hovering overhead , so the LORD of Hosts ... will protect Jerusalem. He will shield it and deliver it ; He will pass over it and preserve it. ”
Return to the One against whom you have so blatantly rebelled , O children of Israel.
For on that day , every one of you will reject the idols of silver ... and gold that hands have sinfully made.
“ Then Assyria will fall , but not by the sword of man ; a sword will devour them , but not one made by mortals. They will flee before the sword , and their young men will be put to forced labor.
Their rock will pass away for fear , and their princes will panic at (the sight of) the battle standard , ” declares the LORD , whose fire is in Zion , whose furnace is in Jerusalem.
Behold , a king will reign in righteousness , and princes will rule with justice.
Each will be like a shelter from the wind , a refuge from the storm , like streams of water in a dry land , like the shadow of a great rock in an arid land.
Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed , and the ears of those who hear will listen.
The mind of the rash will know and understand , and the stammering tongue will speak clearly and fluently.
No longer {will} a fool be called noble , nor a scoundrel vvv be respected.
For a fool speaks foolishness ; his mind plots iniquity. He practices ungodliness and speaks falsely about the LORD ; he leaves the hungry ... empty and deprives the thirsty of drink.
The weapons of the scoundrel are destructive ; he hatches plots to destroy the poor with lies ... , even when the plea of the needy is just.
But a noble man makes honorable plans ; he stands up for worthy causes.
Stand up , you complacent women ; listen to me .... Give ear to my word , you overconfident daughters.
In a little more than ... a year you will tremble , O secure ones. For the grape harvest will fail and the fruit harvest will not arrive.
Shudder , you ladies of leisure ; tremble , you daughters of complacency. Strip yourselves bare and put sackcloth around your waists.
Beat - your breasts for the pleasant ... fields , for the fruitful vines ,
and for the land of my people , overgrown with thorns and briers — even for every house of merriment in this city of revelry.
For the palace will be forsaken , the busy city abandoned. The hill and the watchtower will become - caves forever ... — the delight of wild donkeys and a pasture for flocks —
until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high. Then the desert will be an orchard , and the orchard will seem like a forest.
Then justice will inhabit the wilderness , and righteousness will dwell in the fertile field.
The work of righteousness will be peace ; the service of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever ....
Then my people will dwell in a peaceful ... place , in safe and secure places of rest.
But hail will level the forest , and the city will sink to the depths.
Blessed (are) those who sow beside abundant waters , who let the ox and donkey range freely ....