The Restoration of Jacob
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1For the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and 2will set them in their own land, and 3sojourners will join them and will attach themselves to the house of Jacob.
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And 4the peoples will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess them in the LORD's land 5as male and female slaves. 6They will take captive those who were their captors, 7and rule over those who oppressed them.
Israel's Remnant Taunts Babylon
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When the LORD has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve,
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you will take up this 8taunt against the king of Babylon: "How the oppressor has ceased, 9the insolent furya ceased!
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12that struck the peoples in wrath with unceasing blows, that ruled the nations in anger with unrelenting persecution.
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The cypresses rejoice at you, 14the cedars of Lebanon, saying, 'Since you were laid low, no woodcutter comes up against us.'
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Sheol beneath is stirred up to meet you when you come; it rouses the shades to greet you, all who were leaders of the earth; it raises from their thrones all who were kings of the nations.
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15All of them will answer and say to you: 'You too have become as weak as we! You have become like us!'
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Your pomp is brought down to Sheol, the sound of your harps; maggots are laid as a bed beneath you, and worms are your covers.
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"How 16you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, 17son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low!
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You said in your heart, 18'I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God 19I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north;b
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I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'
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Those who see you will stare at you and ponder over you: 'Is this 21the man who made the earth tremble, who shook kingdoms,
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who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, 22who did not let his prisoners go home?'
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but you are cast out, away from your grave, like a loathed branch, 23clothed with the slain, those pierced by the sword, who go down to the stones of the pit, like a dead body trampled underfoot.
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You will not be joined with them in burial, because you have destroyed your land, you have slain your people."May 24the offspring of evildoers nevermore be named!
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Prepare slaughter for his sons 25because of the guilt of their fathers, lest they rise and possess the earth, and fill the face of the world with cities."
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"I will rise up against them," declares the LORD of hosts, "and will cut off from Babylon name and 26remnant, 27descendants and posterity," declares the LORD.
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"And I will make it a possession of the 28hedgehog,d and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction," declares the LORD of hosts.
An Oracle Concerning Assyria
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The LORD of hosts has sworn: 29"As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand,
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that 30I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains trample him underfoot; and 31his yoke shall depart from them, and 32his burden from their shoulder."
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This is the purpose that is purposed concerning the whole earth, and this is 33the hand that is stretched out over all the nations.
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34For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? 35His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?
An Oracle Concerning Philistia
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Rejoice not, 38O Philistia, all of you, that 39the rod that struck you is broken, for from the serpent's root will come forth an adder, and its fruit will be a 40flying fiery serpent.
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And the firstborn of 41the poor will graze, and 42the needy lie down in safety; but I will kill your root with famine, and your remnant it will slay.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
(English Standard Version - The Holy Bible Online)