1 For Yahweh will have compassion on Jacob, and will yet choose
Israel, and set them in their own land. The foreigner will join himself
with them, and they will unite with the house of Jacob. 2 The peoples
will take them, and bring them to their place. The house of Israel will
possess them in Yahweh’s land for servants and for handmaids. They
will take as captives those whose captives they were; and they shall rule over
their oppressors. 3 It will happen in the day that Yahweh will give you
rest from your sorrow, from your trouble, and from the hard service in
which you were made to serve, 4 that you will take up this parable
against the king of Babylon, and say, “How the oppressor has ceased! The
golden city has ceased!” 5 Yahweh has broken the staff of the wicked, the
scepter of the rulers, 6 who struck the peoples in wrath with a continual
stroke, who ruled the nations in anger, with a persecution that none
restrained. 7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet. They break
out song. 8 Yes, the fir trees rejoice with you, with the
cedars of Lebanon, saying, “Since you are humbled, no lumberjack has
come up against us.” 9 Sheol from beneath has moved for you to meet you at
your coming. It stirs up the dead for you, even all the rulers of the
earth. It has raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations.
10 They all will answer and ask you, “Have you also become as weak as we are?
Have you become like us?” 11 Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, with the
sound of your stringed instruments. Maggots are spread out under you, and worms cover you.
12 How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! How you
are cut down to the ground, who laid the nations low! 13 You said in your
heart, “I will ascend into heaven! I will exalt my throne above the stars of
God! I will sit on the mountain of assembly, in the far north!
14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds! I will
make myself like the Most High!” 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol,
to the depths of the pit. 16 Those who see you will stare at you.
They will ponder you, saying, “Is this the man who made the earth
to tremble, who shook kingdoms; 17 who made the world like a wilderness, and
overthrew its cities; who didn’t release his prisoners to their
home?”
18 All the kings of the nations, sleep in glory, everyone in
his own house. 19 But you are cast away from your tomb like an
abominable branch, clothed with the slain, who are thrust through with the
sword, who go down to the stones of the pit; like a dead body trodden under
foot. 20 You will not join them in burial, because you have
destroyed your land. You have killed your people. The seed of evil-doers
will not be named forever. 21 Prepare for slaughter of his children because of
the iniquity of their fathers, that they not rise up and possess the earth,
and fill the surface of the world with cities. 22 “I will rise up against
them,” says Yahweh of Armies, “and cut off from Babylon name and remnant, and
son and son’s son,” says Yahweh. 23 “I will also make it a possession for
the porcupine, and pools of water. I will sweep it with the broom of
destruction,” says Yahweh of Armies. 24 Yahweh of Armies has sworn, saying,
“Surely, as I have thought, so shall it happen; and as I have purposed, so
shall it stand: 25 that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and tread him under foot on my
mountains. Then his yoke will leave them, and
his burden leave their shoulders. 26 This is the plan that is
determined for the whole earth. This is the hand that is stretched out over
all the nations. 27 For Yahweh of Armies has planned, and who can stop
it? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?”
28 This burden was in the
year that king Ahaz died. 29 Don’t rejoice, O Philistia,
all of you, because the rod that struck you is broken; for out of the
serpent’s root an adder will emerge, and his fruit will be a fiery
flying serpent. 30 The firstborn of the poor will eat, and the needy
will lie down in safety; and I will kill your root with famine, and your
remnant will be killed.
31 Howl, gate! Cry, city! You are melted away,
Philistia, all of you; for smoke comes out of the north, and there is
no straggler in his ranks. 32 What will they answer the messengers of
the nation? That Yahweh has founded Zion, and in her the afflicted of
his people will take refuge.
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