<p class="poetry">For the sovereign master,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies,p> <p class="poetry">has planned a day of panic, defeat, and confusion.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">In the Valley of Vision<n id="3" /> people shout<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">and cry out to the hill.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">They do not thirst as he leads them through dry regions;p> <p class="poetry">he makes water flow out of a rock for them;p> <p class="poetry">he splits open a rock and water flows out.&#8217;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Do I bring a baby to the birth opening and then not deliver it?&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">asks the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Or do I bring a baby to the point of delivery and then hold it back?&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">asks your God.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">I have received a distressing message:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The deceiver deceives,p> <p class="poetry">the destroyer destroys.p> <p class="poetry">Attack, you Elamites!p> <p class="poetry">Lay siege, you Medes!p> <p class="poetry">I will put an end to all the groaning!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them.

<p class="poetry">You did not hear,p> <p class="poetry">you do not know,p> <p class="poetry">you were not told beforehand.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For I know that you are very deceitful;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">you were labeled<n id="3" /> a rebel from birth.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Look, I am about to do something new.p> <p class="poetry">Now it begins to happen!<n id="1" /> Do you not recognize<n id="2" /> it?p> <p class="poetry">Yes, I will make a road in the desertp> <p class="poetry">and paths<n id="3" /> in the wilderness.p>

<p class="poetry">He feeds on ashes;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">his deceived mind misleads him.p> <p class="poetry">He cannot rescue himself,p> <p class="poetry">nor does he say, &#8216;Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?&#8217;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">If you have a willing attitude and obey,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">then you will again eat the good crops of the land.p>

Just a handful of archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be left.&#8221;<n id="1" /> Indeed,<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel has spoken.p>

<p class="poetry">Indeed, the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies has planned a day of judgment,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for<n id="2" /> all the high and mighty,p> <p class="poetry">for all who are proud &#8211; they will be humiliated;p>

<p class="poetry">Gather together and come!p> <p class="poetry">Approach together, you refugees from the nations!p> <p class="poetry">Those who carry wooden idols know nothing,p> <p class="poetry">those who pray to a god that cannot deliver.p>

<p class="poetry">Indeed,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;captives will be taken from a warrior;p> <p class="poetry">spoils will be rescued from a conqueror.p> <p class="poetry">I will oppose your adversaryp> <p class="poetry">and I will rescue your children.p>

<p class="poetry">How delightful it is to see approaching over the mountains<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the feet of a messenger who announces peace,p> <p class="poetry">a messenger who brings good news, who announces deliverance,p> <p class="poetry">who says to Zion, &#8220;Your God reigns!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">to strengthen those who mourn in Zion,p> <p class="poetry">by giving them a turban, instead of ashes,p> <p class="poetry">oil symbolizing joy,<n id="1" /> instead of mourning,p> <p class="poetry">a garment symbolizing praise,<n id="2" /> instead of discouragement.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They will be called oaks of righteousness,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">trees planted by the <sc>Lordsc> to reveal his splendor.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">Though these people make an uproar as loud as the roaring of powerful waves,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">when he shouts at<n id="2" /> them, they will flee to a distant land,p> <p class="poetry">driven before the wind like dead weeds on the hills,p> <p class="poetry">or like dead thistles<n id="3" /> before a strong gale.p>

<p class="poetry">Wild animals and wild dogs will congregate there;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">wild goats will bleat to one another.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Yes, nocturnal animals<n id="3" /> will rest therep> <p class="poetry">and make for themselves a nest.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The oxen and donkeys used in plowing<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">will eat seasoned feed winnowed with a shovel and pitchfork.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">The nations run away when they hear a loud noise;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the nations scatter when you spring into action!<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Let the desert and dry region be happy;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">let the wilderness<n id="2" /> rejoice and bloom like a lily!p>