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² The Lord is a jealous God.
    The Lord punishes the guilty,
    and he is very angry.
The Lord punishes his enemies,
    and he stays angry with them.
³ The Lord is patient,
    but he is also very powerful!
The Lord will punish the guilty;
    he will not let them go free.
He will use whirlwinds and storms to show his power.
    People walk on the dusty ground, but he walks on the clouds.
⁴ He will speak harshly to the sea, and it will become dry.
    He will dry up all the rivers.
The rich lands of Bashan and Carmel become dry and dead.
    The flowers in Lebanon fade away.
⁵ The Lord will come,
    and the mountains will shake
    and the hills will melt away.
He will come,
    and the earth will shake with fear.
The earth and everyone on it
    will shake with fear.
⁶ No one can stand against his great anger.
    No one can endure his terrible anger.
His anger will burn like fire.
    The rocks will shatter when he comes.
⁷ The Lord is good.
    He is a safe place to go to in times of trouble.
    He takes care of those who trust him.
⁸ But he will completely destroy his enemies.
    He will wash them away like a flood
    and chase them into the darkness.
⁹ Why are you making plans against the Lord?
    He will bring complete destruction,
    so you will not cause trouble again.
¹⁰ You will be destroyed completely
    like thornbushes burning under a pot.
You will be destroyed
    like dry weeds that burn quickly.

¹¹ Someone from Nineveh is making evil plans against the Lord.
    That advisor is a worthless troublemaker.
¹² This is what the Lord said:
"The people of Assyria are at full strength.
    They have many soldiers, but they will all be cut down.
    They will all be finished.
My people, I made you suffer,
    but I will make you suffer no more.
¹³ Now I will set you free from the power of Assyria.
    I will take the yoke off your neck
    and tear away the chains holding you."

¹⁴ King of Assyria, the Lord gave this command about you:
    "You will not have any descendants to wear your name.
I will destroy your carved idols
    and metal statues that are in the temple of your gods.
I am preparing your grave,
    because your end is coming soon!^[b]"

¹⁵ Judah, look!
    There, coming over the mountains, is a messenger bringing good news!
    He says there is peace.
Judah, celebrate your special festivals
    and do what you promised.
Those worthless troublemakers will not come through and attack you again.
    They have all been destroyed.