"Howthen will one answerthe messengersof the nation?That the LORDhas foundedZion,And the afflictedof His peoplewill seekrefugein it."
ToisentJoramhis sonto KingDavidto greethim and blesshim, becausehe had foughtagainst Hadadezerand defeatedhim; for Hadadezerhad beenat warwith Toi.And [Joram] brought with him articlesof silver,of goldand of bronze.
For the LORDhas builtup Zion;He has appearedin His glory.
"The childrenof Your servantswill continue,And their descendantswill be establishedbeforeYou."
For, lo,the kingsassembledthemselves, They passedby together.
His foundationis in the holymountains.
But of Zionit shall be said,"Thisoneand that onewere bornin her"; And the MostHighHimselfwill establishher.
The nameof the LORDis a strongtower;The righteousrunsinto it and is safe.
But with righteousnessHe will judgethe poor,And decidewith fairnessfor the afflictedof the earth;And He will strikethe earthwith the rodof His mouth,And with the breathof His lipsHe will slaythe wicked.
Cryaloudand shoutfor joy,O inhabitantof Zion,For greatin your midstis the HolyOneof Israel.
For You have beena defensefor the helpless,A defensefor the needyin his distress,A refugefrom the storm,a shadefrom the heat;For the breathof the ruthlessIs like a [rain] storm[against] a wall.
Thereforethussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I am layingin Ziona stone,a testedstone,A costlycornerstone[for] the foundation,firmlyplaced.He who believes[in it] will not be disturbed.
The afflictedalso will increasetheir gladnessin the LORD,And the needyof mankindwill rejoicein the HolyOneof Israel.
"For out of Jerusalemwill gofortha remnantand out of MountZionsurvivors.The zealof the LORDof hostswill performthis."'
When he heard[them] sayconcerningTirhakahkingof Cush,"He has comeout to fightagainstyou," and when he heard[it] he sentmessengersto Hezekiah,saying,
At that timeMerodach-baladansonof Baladan,kingof Babylon,sentlettersand a presentto Hezekiah,for he heardthat he had beensickand had recovered.
There will be a shelterto [give] shadefrom the heatby day,and refugeand protectionfrom the stormand the rain.
"[It is I] who saysof Cyrus,'[He is] My shepherd!And he will performallMy desire.'And he declaresof Jerusalem,She will be built,'And of the temple,Your foundationwill be laid.'"
"O afflictedone,storm-tossed,[and] not comforted,Behold,I will setyour stonesin antimony,And your foundationsI will layin sapphires.
"When you cryout, let your collection[of idols] deliveryou. But the windwill carryallof them up, [And] a breathwill take[them away]. But he who takesrefugein Me will inheritthe landAnd will possessMy holymountain."
"[The city shall be] 18,000[cubits] roundabout;and the nameof the cityfrom [that] day[shall be], 'The LORDis there.'"
"But I will leaveamongyou A humbleand lowlypeople,And they will takerefugein the nameof the LORD.
So it was brokenon that day,and thusthe afflictedof the flockwho were watchingme realizedthat it was the wordof the LORD.
So I pasturedthe flock[doomed] to slaughter,hencethe afflictedof the flock.And I tookfor myself twostaffs:the oneI calledFavorand the otherI calledUnion;so I pasturedthe flock.
"I alsosayto you that you are Peter,and upon thisrockI will buildMy church;and the gatesof Hadeswill not overpowerit.
for he was lookingfor the citywhichhasfoundations,whosearchitectand builderis God.
But you have cometo MountZionand to the cityof the livingGod,the heavenlyJerusalem,and to myriadsof angels,
Listen,my belovedbrethren:did not Godchoosethe poorof thisworld[to be] richin faithand heirsof the kingdomwhichHe promisedto thosewho loveHim?
