Every valley must be elevated, and every mountain and hill leveled. The rough terrain will become a level plain, the rugged landscape a wide valley.

Look, all who were angry at you will be ashamed and humiliated; your adversaries will be reduced to nothing and perish.

When you will look for your opponents, you will not find them; your enemies will be reduced to absolutely nothing.

Bel kneels down, Nebo bends low. Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals.

They will disappoint you, those you have so faithfully dealt with since your youth. Each strays off in his own direction, leaving no one to rescue you.”

If only you had obeyed my commandments, prosperity would have flowed to you like a river, deliverance would have come to you like the waves of the sea.

Your descendants would have been as numerous as sand, and your children like its granules. Their name would not have been cut off and eliminated from my presence.

Each one says, ‘Come on, I’ll get some wine! Let’s guzzle some beer! Tomorrow will be just like today! We’ll have everything we want!’

You were once abandoned and despised, with no one passing through, but I will make you a permanent source of pride and joy to coming generations.

The least of you will multiply into a thousand; the smallest of you will become a large nation. When the right time comes, I the Lord will quickly do this!”

You will be a majestic crown in the hand of the Lord, a royal turban in the hand of your God.

He said, “Certainly they will be my people, children who are not disloyal.” He became their deliverer.

We existed from ancient times, but you did not rule over them, they were not your subjects.

Sharon will become a pasture for sheep, and the Valley of Achor a place where cattle graze; they will belong to my people, who seek me.

Before they even call out, I will respond; while they are still speaking, I will hear.

“Israel is not a slave, is he? He was not born into slavery, was he? If not, why then is he being carried off?

Because she took her prostitution so lightly, she defiled the land through her adulterous worship of gods made of wood and stone.

They will surround Jerusalem like men guarding a field because they have rebelled against me,” says the Lord.

All this will happen because the Lord said, “The whole land will be desolate; however, I will not completely destroy it.

They are like lusty, well-fed stallions. Each of them lusts after his neighbor’s wife.