“Judgment will come on the cities on the high plain: ¹  on Holon, Jahzah, and Mephaath,

on Dibon, Nebo, and Beth Diblathaim,

on Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul, and Beth Meon,

on Kerioth and Bozrah. It will come on all the towns of Moab, both far and near.

So,” the Lord God ¹  says, “my raging fury will be poured out on this land. ²  It will be poured out on human beings and animals, on trees and crops. ³  And it will burn like a fire which cannot be extinguished.”

Harness the horses to the chariots! Mount your horses! Put on your helmets and take your positions! Sharpen you spears! Put on your armor!

“Get another ¹  scroll and write on it everything ²  that was written on the original scroll ³  that King Jehoiakim of Judah burned.

I will have compassion on you so that he in turn will have mercy on you and allow you to return to your land.’

Then I said, ¹  “Lord, from the very beginning you have been seated on your glorious throne on high. You are the place where we can find refuge.

On the day after Gedaliah had been murdered, before anyone even knew about it,

I will bring on that land everything that I said I would. I will bring on it everything that is written in this book. I will bring on it everything that Jeremiah has prophesied against all the nations. ¹ 

A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the Lord’s work! A curse on anyone who keeps from carrying out his destruction! ¹ 

The Lord says, “I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. ¹  Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. ²  Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site. ³ 

I will take away their harvests, ¹  says the Lord. There will be no grapes on their vines. There will be no figs on their fig trees. Even the leaves on their trees will wither. The crops that I gave them will be taken away.’” ² 

¹ The sin of Judah is engraved with an iron chisel on their stone-hard ²  hearts. It is inscribed with a diamond ³  point on the horns of their altars. ⁴ 

But I will restore the flock of Israel to their own pasture. They will graze on Mount Carmel and the land of Bashan. They will eat until they are full ¹  on the hills of Ephraim and the land of Gilead. ² 

The Lord told me, ¹  “Make a yoke ²  out of leather straps and wooden crossbars and put it on your neck.

Moab’s destruction is at hand. Disaster will come on it quickly.

My blessing is on those people who trust in me, who put their confidence in me. ¹ 

Then the Lord said, “This means ¹  destruction will break out from the north on all who live in the land.