1. About the Ammonites, this is what the Lord says:Does Israel have no sons?Is he without an heir?Why then has Milcom dispossessed Gad and his people settled in their cities?
2. Therefore look, the days are coming —this is the Lord’s declaration —when I will make the shout of battle heardagainst Rabbah of the Ammonites.It will become a desolate mound,and its villages will be burned down.Israel will dispossess their dispossessors,says the Lord.
3. Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is devastated;cry out, daughters of Rabbah!Clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and lament;run back and forth within your walls, because Milcom will go into exiletogether with his priests and officials.
4. Why do you brag about your valleys,your flowing valley, you faithless daughter?You who trust in your treasuresand boast, “Who can attack me? ”
5. Look, I am about to bring terror on you —this is the declaration ofthe Lord God of Hosts —from all those around you.You will be banished, each man headlong,with no one to gather up the fugitives.
6. But after that, I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites. This is the Lord’s declaration.
7. About Edom, this is what the Lord of Hosts says:Is there no longer wisdom in Teman? Has counsel perished from the prudent?Has their wisdom rotted away?
8. Run! Turn back! Lie low,residents of Dedan, for I will bring Esau’s calamity on him at the time I punish him.
9. If grape harvesters came to you,wouldn’t they leave some gleanings? Were thieves to come in the night,they would destroy only what they wanted.
10. But I will strip Esau bare;I will uncover his secret places. He will try to hide himself, but he will be unable.His descendants will be destroyedalong with his relatives and neighbors.He will exist no longer.
11. Abandon your fatherless; I will preserve them;let your widows trust in Me.
12. “For this is what the Lord says: If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, can you possibly remain unpunished? You will not remain unpunished, for you must drink it too.