One who breaks open the way will advance before them; they will break out, pass through the city gate, and leave by it. Their King will pass through before them, the class="small-caps" >Lord as their leader.

You hate good and love evil. You tear off people’s skin and strip their flesh from their bones.

You eat the flesh of my people after you strip their skin from them and break their bones. You chop them up like flesh for the cooking pot, like meat in a cauldron.”

Then they will cry out to the class="small-caps" >Lord, but he will not answer them. He will hide his face from them at that time because of the crimes they have committed.

False Prophets Judged

This is what the class="small-caps" >Lord says concerning the prophets who lead my people astray, who proclaim peace when they have food to sink their teeth into but declare war against the one who puts nothing in their mouths.

Therefore, it will be night for you— without visions; it will grow dark for you— without divination. The sun will set on these prophets, and the daylight will turn black over them.

Then the seers will be ashamed and the diviners disappointed. They will all cover their mouths because there will be no answer from God.

As for me, however, I am filled with power by the Spirit of the class="small-caps" >Lord, with justice and courage, to proclaim to Jacob his rebellion and to Israel his sin.

Zion’s Destruction

Listen to this, leaders of the house of Jacob, you rulers of the house of Israel, who abhor justice and pervert everything that is right,

who build Zion with bloodshed and Jerusalem with injustice.

Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe, her priests teach for payment, and her prophets practice divination for silver. Yet they lean on the class="small-caps" >Lord, saying, “Isn’t the class="small-caps" >Lord among us? No disaster will overtake us.”

Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become ruins, and the temple’s mountain will be a high thicket.

The class="small-caps" >Lord’s Rule from Restored Zion

In the last days the mountain of the class="small-caps" >Lord’s house will be established at the top of the mountains and will be raised above the hills. Peoples will stream to it,

and many nations will come and say, “Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the class="small-caps" >Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us about his ways so we may walk in his paths.” For instruction will go out of Zion and the word of the class="small-caps" >Lord from Jerusalem.

He will settle disputes among many peoples and provide arbitration for strong nations that are far away. They will beat their swords into plows and their spears into pruning knives. Nation will not take up the sword against nation, and they will never again train for war.

But each person will sit under his grapevine and under his fig tree with no one to frighten him. For the mouth of the class="small-caps" >Lord of Armies has spoken.

Though all the peoples walk in the name of their own gods, we will walk in the name of the class="small-caps" >Lord our God forever and ever.

And you, watchtower for the flock, fortified hill of Daughter Zion, the former rule will come to you; sovereignty will come to Daughter Jerusalem.

From Exile to Victory

Now, why are you shouting loudly? Is there no king with you? Has your counselor perished so that anguish grips you like a woman in labor?

Writhe and cry out, Daughter Zion, like a woman in labor, for now you will leave the city and camp in the open fields. You will go to Babylon; there you will be rescued; there the class="small-caps" >Lord will redeem you from the grasp of your enemies!

Many nations have now assembled against you; they say, “Let her be defiled, and let us feast our eyes on Zion.”

But they do not know the class="small-caps" >Lord’s intentions or understand his plan, that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion, for I will make your horns iron and your hooves bronze so you can crush many peoples. Then you will set apart their plunder for the class="small-caps" >Lord, their wealth for the Lord of the whole earth.

From Defeated Ruler to Conquering King

Now, daughter who is under attack, you slash yourself in grief; a siege is set against us! They are striking the judge of Israel on the cheek with a rod.

Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are small among the clans of Judah; one will come from you to be ruler over Israel for me. His origin is from antiquity, from ancient times.