Seek Yahweh Before His Day of Anger

1Gather yourselves together, indeed, gather,

O nation without [†]shame,

2Before the decree [†]takes effect—

The day passes like the chaff—

Before the burning anger of Yahweh comes upon you,

Before the day of Yahweh’s anger comes upon you.

3Seek Yahweh,

All you humble of the [†]earth

Who have worked His justice;

Seek righteousness, seek humility.

Perhaps you will be hidden

In the day of Yahweh’s anger.

4For Gaza will be [†]forsaken

And Ashkelon a desolation;

Ashdod will be driven out at noon,

And Ekron will be uprooted.

5Woe to the inhabitants of the seacoast,

The nation of the [†]Cherethites!

The word of Yahweh is against you,

O Canaan, land of the Philistines;

And I will make you perish

So that there will be no inhabitant.

6So the seacoast will be pastures,

With [†]caves for shepherds and folds for flocks.

7And the coast will be

For the remnant of the house of Judah;

They will feed upon it.

In the houses of Ashkelon they will lie down at evening;

For Yahweh their God will care for them

And restore their fortune.

8“I have heard the reproach of Moab

And the revilings of the sons of Ammon,

With which they have reproached My people

And magnified themselves against their territory.

9Therefore, as I live,” declares Yahweh of hosts,

The God of Israel,

“Surely Moab will be like Sodom

And the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah—

A place possessed by nettles and salt pits,

And a perpetual desolation.

The remnant of My people will plunder them,

And the remainder of My nation will inherit them.”

10This they will have in return for their pride because they have reproached and magnified themselves against the people of Yahweh of hosts. 11Yahweh will be fearsome to them, for He will [†]starve all the gods of the earth; and all the coastlands of the nations will bow down to Him, everyone from his own place.

12“You also, O Ethiopians, will be slain by My sword.”

13And He will stretch out His hand against the north

And cause Assyria to perish,

And He will make Nineveh a desolation,

Parched like the wilderness.

14Flocks will lie down in her midst,

All the beasts of the nation;

Both the [†]pelican and the hedgehog

Will lodge in [†]the tops of her pillars;

Their voice will sing in the window,

Ruin will be on the threshold;

For He has laid bare the cedar work.

15This is the exultant city

Which inhabits securely,

Who says in her heart,

“I am, and there is no one besides me.”

How she has become an object of horror,

A resting place for beasts!

Everyone who passes by her will hiss

And wave his hand in contempt.