"My angeris kindledagainstthe shepherds,And I will punishthe malegoats;For the LORDof hostshas visitedHis flock,the houseof Judah,And will makethem like His majestichorsein battle.
"As oftenas the trumpet[sounds] he says,'Aha!'And he scentsthe battlefrom afar,And the thunderof the captainsand the warcry.
So the peoplebelieved;and when they heardthat the LORDwas concernedabout the sonsof Israeland that He had seentheir affliction,then they bowedlowand worshiped.
The horseis preparedfor the dayof battle,But victorybelongs to the LORD.
"To me, my darling,you are likeMy mareamong the chariotsof Pharaoh.
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."
So it will happenin that day,That the LORDwill punishthe hostof heavenon high,And the kingsof the earthon earth.
For the shepherdshave becomestupidAnd have not soughtthe LORD;Thereforethey have not prospered,And alltheir flockis scattered.
therefore,thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Behold,I am about to punishthem! The youngmenwill dieby the sword,their sonsand daughterswill dieby famine;
Then it will be when seventyyearsare completedI will punishthe kingof Babylonand that nation,'declaresthe LORD,'for their iniquity,and the landof the Chaldeans;and I will makeit an everlastingdesolation.
"Wail,you shepherds,and cry;And wallow[in ashes], you mastersof the flock;For the daysof your slaughterand your dispersionshave come,And you will falllike a choicevessel.
"My peoplehave becomelostsheep;Their shepherdshave ledthem astray.They have made them turnaside[on] the mountains;They have gonealong from mountainto hillAnd have forgottentheir restingplace.
For thussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,I Myselfwill searchfor My sheepand seekthem out.
"As a shepherdcaresfor his herdin the daywhen he is amonghis scatteredsheep,soI will carefor My sheepand will deliverthem from allthe placesto whichthey were scatteredon a cloudyand gloomyday.
"Sonof man,prophesyagainstthe shepherdsof Israel.Prophesyand sayto those shepherds,'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Woe,shepherdsof Israelwhohave beenfeedingthemselves! Should not the shepherdsfeedthe flock?
"By smooth[words] he will turnto godlessnessthose who actwickedlytoward the covenant,but the peoplewho knowtheir Godwill displaystrengthand takeaction.
"Then it will comeabout on the dayof the LORD'SsacrificeThat I will punishthe princes,the king'ssonsAnd allwho clothethemselves with foreigngarments.
And the coastwill be For the remnantof the houseof Judah,They will pastureon it. In the housesof Ashkelonthey will liedownat evening;For the LORDtheir Godwill carefor them And restoretheir fortune.
"Woeto the worthlessshepherdWho leavesthe flock!A swordwill be on his armAnd on his righteye!His armwill be totallywitheredAnd his righteyewill be blind."
"Blessed[be] the LordGodof Israel,For He has visitedus and accomplishedredemptionfor His people,
Keepyour behaviorexcellentamongthe Gentiles,sothat in the thing in whichthey slanderyou as evildoers,they may becauseof your gooddeeds,as they observe[them], glorifyGodin the dayof visitation.
Then she arosewith her daughters-in-lawthat she might returnfrom the landof Moab,for she had heardin the landof Moabthat the LORDhad visitedHis peoplein givingthem food.
