<p class="poetry">Be silent before the Lord <sc>Godsc>,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s day of judgment<n id="2" /> is almost here.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> has prepared a sacrificial meal;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">he has ritually purified<n id="5" /> his guests.p>

<p class="poetry">Wail, you who live in the market district,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for all the merchants<n id="2" /> will disappear<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and those who count money<n id="4" /> will be removed.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will bring distress on the people<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and they will stumble<n id="2" /> like blind men,p> <p class="poetry">for they have sinned against the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="poetry">Their blood will be poured out like dirt;p> <p class="poetry">their flesh<n id="3" /> will be scattered<n id="4" /> like manure.p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="1" /> Gaza will be deserted<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and Ashkelon will become a heap of ruins.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Invaders will drive away the people of Ashdod by noon,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and Ekron will be overthrown.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is how they will be repaid for their arrogance,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for they taunted and verbally harassed<n id="2" /> the people of the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies.p>

<p class="poetry">Therefore you must wait patiently<n id="1" /> for me,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;for the day when I attack and take plunder.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I have decided<n id="3" /> to gather nations togetherp> <p class="poetry">and assemble kingdoms,p> <p class="poetry">so I can pour out my fury on them &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">all my raging anger.p> <p class="poetry">For<n id="4" /> the whole earth will be consumedp> <p class="poetry">by my fiery anger.p>

<p class="poetry">Those who are left from the kingdom of Judah<n id="1" /> will take possession of it.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">By the sea<n id="3" /> they<n id="4" /> will graze,p> <p class="poetry">in the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down in the evening,p> <p class="poetry">for the <sc>Lordsc> their God will intervene for them<n id="5" /> and restore their prosperity.<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> will terrify them,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for<n id="2" /> he will weaken<n id="3" /> all the gods of the earth.p> <p class="poetry">All the distant nations will worship the <sc>Lordsc> in their own lands.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Know for sure that I will then enablep> <p class="poetry">the nations to give me acceptable praise.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">All of them will invoke the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s name when they pray,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and will worship him in unison.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver themp> <p class="poetry">in the day of the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s angry judgment.p> <p class="poetry">The whole earth<n id="1" /> will be consumed by his fiery wrath.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="3" /> he will bring terrifying destruction<n id="4" /> on all who live on the earth.&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Therefore, as surely as I live,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies, the God of Israel,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;be certain that Moab will become like Sodomp> <p class="poetry">and the Ammonites like Gomorrah.p> <p class="poetry">They will be overrun by weeds,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">filled with salt pits,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and permanently desolate.p> <p class="poetry">Those of my people who are left<n id="3" /> will plunder their belongings;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">those who are left in Judah<n id="5" /> will take possession of their land.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Flocks and herds<n id="1" /> will lie down in the middle of it,p> <p class="poetry">as well as every kind of wild animal.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Owls<n id="3" /> will sleep in the tops of its support pillars;p> <p class="poetry">they will hoot through the windows.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Rubble will cover the thresholds;<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">even the cedar work<n id="6" /> will be exposed to the elements.<n id="7" />p>

<p class="poetry">In that day you<n id="1" /> will not be ashamed of all your rebelliousness against me,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">for then I will remove from your midst those who proudly boast,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and you will never again be arrogant on my holy hill.p>

<p class="poetry">The Israelites who remain<n id="1" /> will not act deceitfully.p> <p class="poetry">They will not lie,p> <p class="poetry">and a deceitful tongue will not be found in their mouth.p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, they will graze peacefully like sheep<n id="2" /> and lie down;p> <p class="poetry">no one will terrify them.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">At that time I will lead you &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">at the time I gather you together.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Be sure of this!<n id="2" /> I will make all the nations of the earth respect and admire you<n id="3" />p> <p class="bodytext">when you see me restore you,&#8221;<n id="4" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>