16. Gather the people, set the assembly apart, assemble the elders, gather the children and nursing babes. Let a bridegroom come out from his room, and a bride from her dressing room.
17. Let the priests, servants of יהוה, weep between the porch and the altar. And let them say, “Spare Your people, O יהוה, and do not give Your inheritance to reproach, for the gentiles to rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, ‘Where is their Elohim?’ ”
18. And let יהוה be jealous for His land, and spare His people.
19. And let יהוה answer and say to His people, “See, I am sending you the grain and the new wine and the oil, and you shall be satisfied by them. And no longer do I make you a reproach among the gentiles.
20. “And the Northerner I shall remove far from you, and drive him away into a dry and deserted land, with his face toward the eastern sea and his rear toward the western sea. And his stench shall come up and his smell rise, for he has done greatly.”
21. Do not fear, O soil, be glad and rejoice, for יהוה has done greatly!
22. Do not fear, you beasts of the field, for the pastures of the wilderness shall spring forth, and the tree shall bear its fruit, the fig tree and the vine shall yield their strength.
23. And you children of Tsiyon, be glad and rejoice in יהוה your Elohim, for He shall give you the Teacher of Righteousness, and cause the rain to come down for you, the former rain and the latter rain, as before.