Chapter 2

Gather yourselves together,¹⁰⁷ yea, gather together,³ O nation not desired;¹²

Before the decree bring forth,² [before] the day pass¹ as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the LORD come⁴ upon you, before the day of the LORD'S anger come⁴ upon you.

Seek¹⁶ ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought¹ his judgment; seek¹⁶ righteousness, seek¹⁶ meekness: it may be ye shall be hid¹¹ in the day of the LORD'S anger.

For Gaza shall be forsaken,⁷ and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out¹⁷ Ashdod at the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.¹¹

Woe unto the inhabitants⁶ of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the LORD [is] against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy⁵² thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.⁶

And the sea coast shall be dwellings [and] cottages for shepherds,⁶ and folds for flocks.

And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed⁴ thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down⁴ in the evening: for the LORD their God shall visit⁴ them, and turn away¹ their captivity. ⁷⁶²²

I have heard¹ the reproach of Moab, and the revilings of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached¹⁴ my people, and magnified⁵⁵ [themselves] against their border.

Therefore [as] I live, saith⁷ the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah, [even] the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, ⁴⁴¹⁷ and a perpetual ⁵⁷⁶⁹ desolation: the residue of my people shall spoil⁴ them, and the remnant of my people shall possess⁴ them.

This shall they have for their pride, because they have reproached¹⁴ and magnified⁵⁵ [themselves] against the people of the LORD of hosts.

The LORD [will be] terrible¹² unto them: for he will famish¹ all the gods of the earth; and [men] shall worship¹⁰¹ him, every one from his place, [even] all the isles of the heathen.

Ye Ethiopians also, ye [shall be] slain by my sword.

And he will stretch out⁴ his hand against the north, and destroy¹⁷ Assyria; and will make⁴ Nineveh a desolation, [and] dry like a wilderness.

And flocks shall lie down¹ in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge⁴ in the upper lintels of it; [their] voice shall sing³⁴ in the windows; desolation [shall be] in the thresholds: for he shall uncover¹⁴ the cedar work.

This [is] the rejoicing city that dwelt⁶ carelessly, that said⁶ in her heart, I [am], and [there is] none beside me: how is she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every one that passeth by⁶ her shall hiss,⁴ [and] wag⁵⁵ his hand.