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⁴ I will stretch out my hand^(C1) against Judah
and against all the residents of Jerusalem.
I will cut off every vestige of Baal^(C2)
from this place,
the names of the pagan priests^(C3)
along with the priests;⁵ those who bow in worship on the rooftops^(C1)
to the stars in the sky;
those who bow and pledge loyalty to the Lord^(C2)
but also pledge loyalty to Milcom;^(F1)(C3)6 and those who turn back from following the Lord,
who do not seek the Lord or inquire of him.⁷ Be silent in the presence of the Lord God,^(C1)
for the day of the Lord is near.^(C2)
Indeed, the Lord has prepared a sacrifice;^(C3)
he has consecrated his guests.^(C4)

⁸ On the day of the Lord’s sacrifice
I will punish the officials, the king’s sons,
and all who are dressed in foreign clothing.⁹ On that day^(C1) I will punish
all who skip over the threshold,^(F1)(C2)
who fill their master’s house
with violence and deceit.

¹⁰ On that day—this is the Lord’s declaration—
there will be an outcry from the Fish Gate,^(C1)
a wailing from the Second District,^(C2)
and a loud crashing from the hills.
¹¹ Wail, you residents of the Hollow,^(F1)
for all the merchants^(F2) will be silenced;
all those loaded with silver will be cut off.

¹² And at that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps
and punish those who settle down comfortably,^(F1)(C1)
who say to themselves:
The Lord will not do good or evil.^(C2)13 Their wealth will become plunder
and their houses a ruin.
They will build houses but never live in them,
plant vineyards but never drink their wine.^(C1)

¹⁴ The great day of the Lord is near,^(C1)
near and rapidly approaching.
Listen, the day of the Lord—
then the warrior’s cry is bitter.¹⁵ That day is a day of wrath,
a day of trouble and distress,
a day of destruction and desolation,
a day of darkness^(C1) and gloom,
a day of clouds and total darkness,^(C2)16 a day of trumpet blast and battle cry
against the fortified cities,
and against the high corner towers.¹⁷ I will bring distress on mankind,
and they will walk like the blind^(C1)
because they have sinned against the Lord.
Their blood will be poured out like dust
and their flesh like dung.¹⁸ Their silver and their gold
will be unable to rescue them
on the day of the Lord’s wrath.^(C1)
The whole earth will be consumed
by the fire of his jealousy,^(C2)
for he will make a complete,
yes, a horrifying end
of all the inhabitants of the earth.