Yahweh Judges the Nations

1  כִּ֗י (For), הִנֵּ֛ה (behold), בַּיָּמִ֥ים (in the days), הָהֵ֖מָּה (those) וּבָעֵ֣ת (and at the time), הַהִ֑יא (that)

אֲשֶׁ֥ר (when) אָשׁוּב (I turn back) אֶת־ (-) שְׁב֥וּת (the captivity) יְהוּדָ֖ה (of Judah) וִירוּשָׁלִָֽם׃ (and Jerusalem),

2  וְקִבַּצְתִּי֙ (and I will gather) אֶת־ (-) כָּל־ (all) הַגּוֹיִ֔ם (the nations),

וְה֣וֹרַדְתִּ֔ים (and I will bring them down) אֶל־ (to) עֵ֖מֶק (the Valley) יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑ט (of Jehoshaphat),

וְנִשְׁפַּטְתִּ֨י (and I will enter into judgment) עִמָּ֜ם (with them) שָׁ֗ם (there)

עַל־ (over) עַמִּ֨י (My people) וְנַחֲלָתִ֤י (and My heritage) יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (Israel),

אֲשֶׁ֣ר (whom) פִּזְּר֣וּ (they have scattered) בַגּוֹיִ֔ם (among the nations),

וְאֶת־ (and) אַרְצִ֖י (My land) חִלֵּֽקוּ׃ (they have divided up).

3  וְאֶל־ (And for) עַמִּ֖י (My people); יַדּ֣וּ (they have cast) גוֹרָ֑ל (lots)

וַיִּתְּנ֤וּ (and they have given) הַיֶּ֙לֶד֙ (a boy) בַּזּוֹנָ֔ה (for a prostitute),

וְהַיַּלְדָּ֛ה (and a girl) מָכְר֥וּ (they have sold) בַיַּ֖יִן (for wine), וַיִּשְׁתּֽוּ׃ (that they may drink).

4  וְ֠גַם (And indeed), מָה־ (what) אַתֶּ֥ם (are you⁺) לִי֙ (to Me) צֹ֣ר (O Tyre), וְצִיד֔וֹן (and Sidon), וְכֹ֖ל (and all) גְּלִיל֣וֹת (the coasts) פְּלָ֑שֶׁת (of Philistia)? הַגְּמ֗וּל (A recompense)? אַתֶּם֙ (You⁺) מְשַׁלְּמִ֣ים (are rendering) עָלָ֔י (against Me) וְאִם־ (or) גֹּמְלִ֤ים (are retaliating) אַתֶּם֙ (you⁺) עָלַ֔י (against Me) קַ֣ל (Swiftly) מְהֵרָ֔ה (and speedily) אָשִׁ֥יב (I will return) גְּמֻלְכֶ֖ם (your⁺ recompense) בְּרֹאשְׁכֶֽם׃ (upon your⁺ head); 5  אֲשֶׁר־ (because) כַּסְפִּ֥י (My silver) וּזְהָבִ֖י (and My gold), לְקַחְתֶּ֑ם (you⁺ took) וּמַֽחֲמַדַּי֙ (and My treasures); הַטֹּבִ֔ים (precious) הֲבֵאתֶ֖ם (you⁺ have brought) לְהֵיכְלֵיכֶֽם׃ (to your⁺ temples). 6  וּבְנֵ֤י (And the sons) יְהוּדָה֙ (of Judah) וּבְנֵ֣י (and the sons) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם (of Jerusalem) מְכַרְתֶּ֖ם (you⁺ sold) לִבְנֵ֣י (to the sons) הַיְּוָנִ֑ים (of Javan) לְמַ֥עַן (that) הַרְחִיקָ֖ם (you might remove them far) מֵעַ֥ל (from) גְּבוּלָֽם׃ (their borders).

7  הִנְנִ֣י (Behold, I) מְעִירָ֔ם (am rousing them) מִן־ (from) הַ֨מָּק֔וֹם (the place) אֲשֶׁר־ (to which) מְכַרְתֶּ֥ם (you⁺ have sold) אֹתָ֖ם (them) שָׁ֑מָּה (there) וַהֲשִׁבֹתִ֥י (and I will return) גְמֻלְכֶ֖ם (your⁺ recompense) בְּרֹאשְׁכֶֽם׃ (upon your⁺ head). 8  וּמָכַרְתִּ֞י (And I will sell) אֶת־ (-) בְּנֵיכֶ֣ם (your⁺ sons) וְאֶת־ (and) בְּנֽוֹתֵיכֶ֗ם (your⁺ daughters) בְּיַד֙ (into the hand) בְּנֵ֣י (of the sons) יְהוּדָ֔ה (of Judah), וּמְכָר֥וּם (and they will sell them) לִשְׁבָאיִ֖ם (to the Sabeans), אֶל־ (to) גּ֣וֹי (a people) רָח֑וֹק (far off);

כִּ֥י (Indeed) יְהוָ֖ה (YHWH) דִּבֵּֽר׃ס (has spoken).

9  קִרְאוּ־ (Call out) זֹאת֙ (this) בַּגּוֹיִ֔ם (among the nations);

קַדְּשׁ֖וּ (Consecrate) מִלְחָמָ֑ה (for war),

הָעִ֙ירוּ֙ (Rouse) הַגִּבּוֹרִ֔ים (the mighty ones),

יִגְּשׁ֣וּ (let draw near); יַֽעֲל֔וּ (let them come up);

כֹּ֖ל (all) אַנְשֵׁ֥י (the men) הַמִּלְחָמָֽה׃ (of war).

10  כֹּ֤תּוּ (Beat) אִתֵּיכֶם֙ (your⁺ plowshares) לַֽחֲרָב֔וֹת (into swords),

וּמַזְמְרֹֽתֵיכֶ֖ם (and your⁺ pruning hooks) לִרְמָחִ֑ים (into spears);

הַֽחַלָּ֔שׁ (the weak) יֹאמַ֖ר (let say), גִּבּ֥וֹר (Strong) אָֽנִי׃ (I am).

11  ע֣וּשׁוּ (Hurry) וָבֹ֧אוּ (and come in), כָֽל־ (all) הַגּוֹיִ֛ם (nations), מִסָּבִ֖יב (from around);

וְנִקְבָּ֑צוּ (and gather together) שָׁ֕מָּה (there)

הַֽנְחַ֥ת (Bring down), יְהוָ֖ה (O YHWH)

גִּבּוֹרֶֽיךָ׃ (Your mighty ones).

12  יֵע֙וֹרוּ֙ (May they be roused), וְיַעֲל֣וּ (and come up)

הַגּוֹיִ֔ם (the nations) אֶל־ (to) עֵ֖מֶק (the Valley) יְהֽוֹשָׁפָ֑ט (of Jehoshaphat),

כִּ֣י (for) שָׁ֗ם (there) אֵשֵׁ֛ב (I will sit) לִשְׁפֹּ֥ט (to judge) אֶת־ (-)

כָּל־ (all) הַגּוֹיִ֖ם (the nations) מִסָּבִֽיב׃ (from around).

13  שִׁלְח֣וּ (Send forth) מַגָּ֔ל (the sickle),

כִּ֥י (for) בָשַׁ֖ל (is ripe). קָצִ֑יר (The harvest)

בֹּ֤אֽוּ (come), רְדוּ֙ (go down);

כִּֽי־ (for) מָ֣לְאָה (is full), גַּ֔ת (the winepress)

הֵשִׁ֙יקוּ֙ (overflow); הַיְקָבִ֔ים (the wine vats)

כִּ֥י (for) רַבָּ֖ה (great is) רָעָתָֽם׃ (their wickedness).

14  הֲמוֹנִ֣ים (Multitudes), הֲמוֹנִ֔ים (multitudes)

בְּעֵ֖מֶק (in the valley) הֶֽחָר֑וּץ (of decision)!

כִּ֤י (For) קָרוֹב֙ (is near) י֣וֹם (the day) יְהוָ֔ה (of YHWH)

בְּעֵ֖מֶק (in the valley) הֶחָרֽוּץ׃ (of decision).

15  שֶׁ֥מֶשׁ (The sun) וְיָרֵ֖חַ (and moon) קָדָ֑רוּ (will grow dark),

וְכוֹכָבִ֖ים (and the stars) אָסְפ֥וּ (will withdraw) נָגְהָֽם׃ (their brightness).

16  וַיהוָ֞ה (And YHWH) מִצִּיּ֣וֹן (from Zion) יִשְׁאָ֗ג (will roar)

וּמִירוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ (and from Jerusalem) יִתֵּ֣ן (He will give forth) קוֹל֔וֹ (His voice)

וְרָעֲשׁ֖וּ (and will quake). שָׁמַ֣יִם (The heavens) וָאָ֑רֶץ (and the earth)

וַֽיהוָה֙ (and YHWH will be) מַֽחֲסֶ֣ה (a refuge) לְעַמּ֔וֹ (for His people),

וּמָע֖וֹז (and a stronghold) לִבְנֵ֥י (for the sons) יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ (of Israel).

Blessings for God’s People

17  וִֽידַעְתֶּ֗ם (And you⁺ will know) כִּ֣י (that) אֲנִ֤י (I am) יְהוָה֙ (YHWH) אֱלֹ֣הֵיכֶ֔ם (your⁺ God)

שֹׁכֵ֖ן (the One dwelling) בְּצִיּ֣וֹן (on Zion), הַר־ (the mountain). קָדְשִׁ֑י (Of My holiness)

וְהָיְתָ֤ה (and will be) יְרוּשָׁלִַ֙ם֙ (Jerusalem) קֹ֔דֶשׁ (holy),

וְזָרִ֥ים (and strangers) לֹא־ (not) יַֽעַבְרוּ־ (will pass) בָ֖הּ (through her) עֽוֹד׃ס (anymore).

18  וְהָיָה֩ (And it will come to pass) בַיּ֨וֹם (day), הַה֜וּא (in that) יִטְּפ֧וּ (that will drip) הֶהָרִ֣ים (the mountains) עָסִ֗יס (new wine),

וְהַגְּבָעוֹת֙ (and the hills) תֵּלַ֣כְנָה (will flow) חָלָ֔ב (with milk),

וְכָל־ (and all) אֲפִיקֵ֥י (the channels) יְהוּדָ֖ה (of Judah) יֵ֣לְכוּ (will flow) מָ֑יִם (with water),

וּמַעְיָ֗ן (and a fountain) מִבֵּ֤ית (from the house) יְהוָה֙ (of YHWH), יֵצֵ֔א (will come forth)

וְהִשְׁקָ֖ה (and will water) אֶת־ (-) נַ֥חַל (the Valley) הַשִּׁטִּֽים׃ (of Shittim).

19  מִצְרַ֙יִם֙ (Egypt) לִשְׁמָמָ֣ה (as a desolation), תִֽהְיֶ֔ה (will be)

וֶאֱד֕וֹם (and Edom) לְמִדְבַּ֥ר (as a wilderness), שְׁמָמָ֖ה (of desolation) תִּֽהְיֶ֑ה (will be)

מֵֽחֲמַס֙ (because of violence) בְּנֵ֣י (to the sons) יְהוּדָ֔ה (of Judah),

אֲשֶׁר־ (for) שָׁפְכ֥וּ (they have poured out) דָם־ (blood) נָקִ֖יא (innocent) בְּאַרְצָֽם׃ (in their land).

20  וִיהוּדָ֖ה (And Judah) לְעוֹלָ֣ם (forever), תֵּשֵׁ֑ב (will abide)

וִירוּשָׁלִַ֖ם (and Jerusalem) לְד֥וֹר (for generation) וָדֽוֹר׃ (and generation).

21  וְנִקֵּ֖יתִי (And I will clear) דָּמָ֣ם (their bloodguilt)

לֹֽא־ (which not) נִקֵּ֑יתִי (I have cleared),

וַֽיהוָ֖ה (and YHWH) שֹׁכֵ֥ן (is dwelling) בְּצִיּֽוֹן׃ (in Zion).