and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city.”’”

The glory of the Lord rose up from within the city and stopped over the mountain east of it.

They will be desolate among desolate lands, and their cities will be among ruined cities.

A ruler will be established from Jacob; he will destroy the remains of the city.’”

But all the livestock and plunder from the cities we kept for ourselves.

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the field.

You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the field.

Keilah, Aczib, and Mareshah – a total of nine cities and their towns.

Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah – a total of ten cities and their towns.

The one who committed manslaughter should escape to one of these cities, stand at the entrance of the city gate, and present his case to the leaders of that city. They should then bring him into the city, give him a place to stay, and let him live there.

People say wonderful things about you, O city of God. (Selah)

He allowed the hungry to settle there, and they established a city in which to live.

Jerusalem is a city designed to accommodate an assembly.

The city is left in ruins; the gate is reduced to rubble.

Even if the forest is destroyed and the city is annihilated,

Fields will again be bought with silver, and deeds of purchase signed, sealed, and witnessed. This will happen in the territory of Benjamin, the villages surrounding Jerusalem, the towns in Judah, the southern hill country, the western foothills, and southern Judah. For I will restore them to their land. I, the Lord, affirm it!’”

I, the Lord, say that shepherds will once again count their sheep as they pass into the fold. They will do this in all the towns in the southern hill country, the western foothills, the southern hill country, the territory of Benjamin, the villages surrounding Jerusalem, and the towns of Judah.’

What my eyes see grieves me – all the suffering of the daughters in my city.

They raped women in Zion, virgins in the towns of Judah.

(A city by the name of Hamonah will also be there.) They will cleanse the land.’