6. Hear that uproar from the city,hear that noise from the temple!It is the sound of the Lordrepaying his enemies all they deserve.
7. ‘Before she goes into labour,she gives birth;before the pains come upon her,she delivers a son.
8. Who has ever heard of such things?Who has ever seen things like this?Can a country be born in a dayor a nation be brought forth in a moment?Yet no sooner is Zion in labourthan she gives birth to her children.
9. Do I bring to the moment of birthand not give delivery?’ says the Lord.‘Do I close up the wombwhen I bring to delivery?’ says your God.
10. ‘Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,all you who love her;rejoice greatly with her,all you who mourn over her.
11. For you will feed and be satisfiedat her comforting breasts;you will drink deeplyand delight in her overflowing abundance.’
12. For this is what the Lord says:‘I will extend peace to her like a river,and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;you will feed and be carried on her armand dandled on her knees.
13. As a mother comforts her child,so will I comfort you;and you will be comforted over Jerusalem.’
14. When you see this, your heart will rejoiceand you will flourish like grass;the hand of the Lord will be made known to his servants,but his fury will be shown to his foes.
15. See, the Lord is coming with fire,and his chariots are like a whirlwind;he will bring down his anger with fury,and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16. For with fire and with his swordthe Lord will execute judgment on all people,and many will be those slain by the Lord.
17. ‘Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things – they will meet their end together with the one they follow,’ declares the Lord.
18. ‘And I, because of what they have planned and done, am about to come and gather the people of all nations and languages, and they will come and see my glory.
19. ‘I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations – to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.
20. And they will bring all your people, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the Lord – on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels,’ says the Lord. ‘They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the Lord in ceremonially clean vessels.
21. And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites,’ says the Lord.