 1 Gather together. Yes gather O nation not desired. 2 Before the birth of the decree, the day will pass like the chaff. Yet not before the hot anger of the Lord comes upon you, not before the day of the Lord's anger comes upon you. 3 Seek the Lord, all the meek of the earth who have done His justice. Seek righteousness. Seek meekness. It may be that you will be hidden in the day of the Lord's anger. 4 For Gaza will be forsaken and Ashkelon a ruin. They will drive out Ashdod at the noonday and Ekron will be rooted up. 5 Woe to the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites. The Word of the Lord is against you. Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will destroy you so that no inhabitant survives. 6 The sea coast will be pastures, meadows of shepherds, and folds for flocks. 7 The coast will be for the remnant of the house of Judah. They will feed on them. In the houses of Ashkelon they shall lie down in the evening, for the Lord their God shall visit them and turn away their captivity. 8 I have heard the reproach of Moab and the revilings of the children of Ammon, with which they have cursed+ my people and have magnified themselves on their border. 9 Therefore, as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab will be like Sodom, and the children of Ammon like Gomorrah. Even the breeding of nettles and salt pits and perpetual desolation. The remnant of my people will plunder them, and the remnant of my people will possess them. 10 They shall have this for their pride, because they have cursed and magnified themselves against the people of the Lord of hosts. 11 The Lord will be frightening to them. He will make all the gods of the earth lean. Every man from his place and all the coastlands of the nations will bow to Him. 12 You Ethiopians also will be slain by my sword. 13 He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria, and will make Nineveh a desert and dry like a desert. 14 Flocks will lie down in her midst. All the beasts of a nation. Both the pelican and the bittern will roost in the capitals of its pillars. A voice will sing at the window. Ruin will be at the doorsill. He will bare the cedar work. 15 This is the rejoicing city, living confidently, that says in its heart, I am, and no other still is. How it has become a ruin, a resting place for animals. Everyone who passes by it will hiss. He will wag his hand.
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