"For behold,I am beginningto workcalamityin [this] citywhichis calledby My name,and shall you be completelyfreefrom punishment?You will not be freefrom punishment;for I am summoninga swordagainstallthe inhabitantsof the earth,"declaresthe LORDof hosts.'
hearin heavenYour dwellingplace,and doaccording to allfor whichthe foreignercallsto You, in orderthat allthe peoplesof the earthmay knowYour name,to fearYou, as [do] Your peopleIsrael,and that they may knowthat thishousewhichI have builtis calledby Your name.
Assuredly,the evilmanwill not gounpunished,But the descendantsof the righteouswill be delivered.
Ifthe righteouswill be rewardedin the earth,Howmuchmorethe wickedand the sinner!
He who mocksthe poortauntshis Maker;He who rejoicesat calamitywill not gounpunished.
So it will be that whenthe Lordhas completedallHis workon MountZionand on Jerusalem,[He will say], "I will punishthe fruitof the arrogantheartof the kingof Assyriaand the pompof his haughtiness."
then sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LORD,"BeholdI am about to fillallthe inhabitantsof thisland--the kingsthat sitfor Davidon his throne,the priests,the prophetsand allthe inhabitantsof Jerusalem--with drunkenness!
and say,'Hearthe wordof the LORD,O kingsof Judahand inhabitantsof Jerusalem:thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,"BeholdI am about to bringa calamityupon thisplace,at whichthe earsof everyonethat hearsof it will tingle.
For I am with you,' declaresthe LORD,'to saveyou; For I will destroycompletelyallthe nationswhereI have scatteredyou, OnlyI will not destroyyou completely.But I will chastenyou justlyAnd will by nomeansleaveyou unpunished.'
"O JacobMy servant,do not fear,"declaresthe LORD,"For I am with you. For I will makea fullendof allthe nationsWhereI have drivenyou, Yet I will not makea fullendof you; But I will correctyou properlyAnd by nomeansleaveyou unpunished."
For thussaysthe LORD,"Behold,those whowere not sentencedto drinkthe cupwill certainlydrink[it], and are you the onewho will be completelyacquitted?You will not be acquitted,but you will certainlydrink[it].
"Or[if] I should bringa swordon that countryand say,'Let the swordpassthrough the countryand cutoffmanand beastfrom it,'
For thussaysthe LordGOD,"HowmuchmorewhenI sendMy fourseverejudgmentsagainstJerusalem:sword,famine,wildbeastsand plagueto cutoffmanand beastfrom it!
"I will callfor a swordagainsthim on allMy mountains,"declaresthe LordGOD."Everyman'sswordwill be against his brother.
"Utterlyslayoldmen,youngmen,maidens,littlechildren,and women,but do not touchanymanon whomis the mark;and you shall startfrom My sanctuary."So they startedwith the elderswho[were] beforethe temple.
"Becausejustas you drankon My holymountain,Allthe nationswill drinkcontinually.They will drinkand swallowAnd becomeas if they had neverexisted.
"Awake,O sword,againstMy Shepherd,And againstthe man,My Associate,"Declaresthe LORDof hosts."Strikethe Shepherdthat the sheepmay be scattered;And I will turnMy handagainstthe littleones.
"For ifthey dothese thingswhenthe treeis green,whatwill happenwhenit is dry?"
For [it is] timefor judgmentto beginwith the householdof God;and if[it] [begins] with us first,what[will be] the outcomefor thosewho do not obeythe gospelof God?
