Bible Reading Plan

¹ Gather yourselves together;
gather together, undesirable^[a] nation,
² before the decree^(a) takes effect
and the day passes like chaff,
before the burning of the Lord 's anger overtakes you,
before the day of the Lord 's anger overtakes you.
³ Seek the Lord ,^(b) all you humble^(c) of the earth,
who carry out what He commands.
Seek righteousness, seek humility;
perhaps you will be concealed^(d)
on the day of the Lord 's anger.

⁴ For Gaza will be abandoned,
and Ashkelon will become a ruin.
Ashdod will be driven out at noon,
and Ekron will be uprooted.^(e)
5 Woe, inhabitants of the seacoast,
nation of the Cherethites!^[b](f)
The word of the Lord is against you,
Canaan, land of the Philistines:
I will destroy you until there is no one left.
⁶ The seacoast will become pasturelands
with caves for shepherds and folds for sheep.
⁷ The coastland will belong
to the remnant of the house of Judah;
they will find pasture there.
They will lie down in the evening
among the houses of Ashkelon,
for the Lord their God will return to them
and restore their fortunes.

⁸ I have heard the taunting of Moab
and the insults of the Ammonites,^(g)
who have taunted My people
and threatened their territory.
⁹ Therefore, as I live—
this is the declaration of the Lord of Hosts,
the God of Israel—
Moab will be like Sodom
and the Ammonites like Gomorrah^(h)—
a place overgrown with weeds,
a salt pit, and a perpetual wasteland.
The remnant of My people will plunder them;
the remainder of My nation will dispossess them.
¹⁰ This is what they get for their pride,
because they have taunted and acted arrogantly⁽ⁱ⁾
against the people of the Lord of Hosts.
¹¹ The Lord will be terrifying to them
when He starves all the gods of the earth.
Then all the distant coastlands of the nations
will bow in worship to Him,
each in its own place.

¹² You Cushites will also be slain by My sword.^(j)

¹³ He will also stretch out His hand against the north
and destroy Assyria;
He will make Nineveh a desolate ruin,^(k)
dry as the desert.
¹⁴ Herds will lie down in the middle of it,
every kind of wild animal.^[c]
Both the desert owl^[d] and the screech owl^[e]
will roost in the capitals of its pillars.
Their calls will sound^[f] from the window,
but devastation^[g] will be on the threshold,
for He will expose the cedar work.^[h]
15 This is the self-assured^(l) city
that lives in security,
that thinks to herself:
I exist, and there is no one else.
What a desolation she has become,
a place for wild animals to lie down!
Everyone who passes by her
jeers^[i] and shakes his fist.

¹ Woe to the city that is rebellious^[a](a) and defiled,^(b)
the oppressive city!
² She has not obeyed;^(c)
she has not accepted discipline.^(d)
She has not trusted^(e) in Yahweh;
she has not drawn near to her God.
³ The^[b] princes within her are roaring lions;^(f)
her judges are wolves of the night,^(g)
which leave nothing for^[c] the morning.
⁴ Her prophets are reckless^(h)—
treacherous men.
Her priests profane the sanctuary;
they do violence to instruction.^(i)
5 The righteous Lord is in her;^(j)
He does no wrong.^(k)
He applies His justice morning by morning;
He does not fail at dawn,
yet the one who does wrong knows no shame.^(l)

⁶ I have cut off nations;
their corner towers^(m) are destroyed.
I have laid waste their streets,
with no one to pass through.
Their cities lie devastated,
without a person, without an inhabitant.^(n)
7 I thought: You will certainly fear Me
and accept correction.
Then her dwelling place^[d]
would not be cut off
based on all that I had allocated to her.
However, they became more corrupt
in all their actions.
⁸ Therefore, wait for Me^(o)—
this is the Lord 's declaration—
until the day I rise up for plunder.^[e]
For My decision is to gather nations,
to assemble kingdoms,
in order to pour out My indignation^(p) on them,
all My burning anger;
for the whole earth will be consumed
by the fire of My jealousy.^(q)

⁹ For I will then restore
pure^(r) speech to the peoples
so that all of them may call
on the name of Yahweh
and serve Him with a single purpose.^[f]
10 From beyond the rivers of Cush^(s)
My supplicants, My dispersed people,
will bring an offering to Me.
¹¹ On that day you^[g] will not be put to shame^(t)
because of everything you have done
in rebelling^(u) against Me.
For then I will remove
your proud,^(v) arrogant people from among you,
and you will never again be haughty
on My holy mountain.^(w)
12 I will leave
a meek and humble people^(x) among you,
and they will take refuge in the name of Yahweh.
¹³ The remnant^(y) of Israel will no longer
do wrong or tell lies;
a deceitful tongue will not be found
in their mouths.
But they will pasture and lie down,
with nothing to make them afraid.^(z)

¹⁴ Sing for joy, Daughter Zion;
shout loudly, Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
Daughter Jerusalem!
¹⁵ The Lord has removed your punishment;
He has turned back your enemy.
The King of Israel, Yahweh, is among you;
you need no longer fear harm.
¹⁶ On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
"Do not fear;
Zion, do not let your hands grow weak.^(aa)
17 Yahweh your God is among you,
a warrior^(ab) who saves.
He will rejoice over you^(ac) with gladness.
He will bring you quietness^[h] with His love.
He will delight in you with shouts of joy."^(ad)

¹⁸ I will gather those who have been driven^(ae)
from the appointed festivals;
they will be a tribute from you^[i]
and a reproach on her.^[j]
19 Yes, at that time
I will deal with all who afflict you.
I will save the lame^(af) and gather the scattered;^(ag)
I will make those who were disgraced
throughout the earth
receive praise and fame.
²⁰ At that time I will bring you^[k] back,
yes, at the time I will gather you.
I will give you fame and praise
among all the peoples of the earth,
when I restore your fortunes^(ah) before your eyes.
Yahweh has spoken.