1 ARST You people of Jerusalem, gather your troops together. Even though you have a wall around your city to protect it, enemy soldiers are surrounding the city. Soon they will strike your leader on his face with a rod. BSB BSB: Now, O daughter of troops, mobilize your troops; for a siege is laid against us! With a rod they will strike the cheek of the judge of Israel.
3 ARST Now God will allow your enemies to conquer you, you people of Israel, but it will be for only a short time, like the short time that women have great pain while their babies are being born. After that, your fellow countrymen who were exiled will return to their own country. BSB BSB: Therefore Israel will be abandoned until she who is in labor has given birth; then the rest of His brothers will return to the children of Israel.
4 ARST And that a man who will rule there in Jerusalem will stand and lead his people well, because Yahweh, his God, will cause him to be strong and greatly honored. Then the people whom he rules will live in Jerusalem safely; he will be greatly honored by people all over the earth so no one will dare to attack Jerusalem. BSB BSB: He will stand and shepherd His flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majestic name of the LORD His God. And they will dwell securely, for then His greatness will extend to the ends of the earth.
5 ARST And he will cause things to go well with his people. When the army of Assyria attacks our country and breaks through our fortresses, we will appoint seven or eight leaders to lead our army to fight against them. BSB BSB: And He will be our peace when Assyria invades our land and tramples our citadels. We will raise against it seven shepherds, even eight leaders of men.
6 ARST With their swords our army will defeat the army of Assyria, whose capital Nimrod founded long ago. Our army will rule their cities. So our army will rescue us from the Assyrian army when they invade our country. BSB BSB: And they will rule the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod with the blade drawn. So He will deliver us when Assyria invades our land and marches into our borders.
7 ARST The descendants of Jacob who survive will be a blessing to the people of other nations like dew and rain sent by Yahweh do good to the grass. They will not trust in humans to help them; instead, they will rely on Yahweh. BSB BSB: Then the remnant of Jacob will be in the midst of many peoples like dew from the LORD, like showers on the grass, which do not wait for man or linger for mankind.
8 ARST In the midst of their enemies in many people groups, the descendants of Jacob who remain alive will be like a lion among the other wild beasts of the forest, like a strong young lion that attacks sheep in a flock, and no one will be able to rescue their enemies. BSB BSB: Then the remnant of Jacob will be among the nations, in the midst of many peoples, like a lion among the beasts of the forest, like a young lion among flocks of sheep, which tramples and tears as it passes through, with no one to rescue them.
9 ARST You Israelites will defeat all your enemies and completely destroy them. BSB BSB: Your hand will be lifted over your foes, and all your enemies will be cut off.
10 ARST Yahweh says,“At that time, I will destroy you Israelite people’ s horses that your soldiers use in war, together with your chariots. BSB BSB: “In that day,” declares the LORD, “I will remove your horses from among you and wreck your chariots.
11 ARST I will tear down your city walls and destroy all your fortified cities. BSB BSB: I will remove the cities of your land and tear down all your strongholds.
12 ARST I will get rid of all those among you who practice magic and the fortune tellers. BSB BSB: I will cut the sorceries from your hand, and you will have no fortune-tellers.
13 ARST I will destroy all your idols and stone pillars, and then you will no longer bow down and worship things that you yourselves have made. BSB BSB: I will also cut off the carved images and sacred pillars from among you, so that you will no longer bow down to the work of your own hands.
14 ARST I will get rid of your poles that represent the goddess Asherah, and I will also destroy all your idols. BSB BSB: I will root out the Asherah poles from your midst and demolish your cities.
15 ARST Because I will be very angry, I will also punish the people of all the nations who have not obeyed me.” BSB BSB: I will take vengeance in anger and wrath upon the nations that have not obeyed Me.”