3:1 Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,
The oppressive city!
3:2 She obeyed no voice,
She accepted no discipline.
She did not trust in the LORD,
She did not approach her God.
3:3 Her leaders within her are roaring lions,
Her judges are wolves at evening;
They have no bones to gnaw in the morning.
3:4 Her prophets are insolent, treacherous men;
Her priests have profaned the sanctuary.
They have done violence to the Law.
3:5 The LORD is righteous within her;
He will do no injustice.
Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He ①does not fail.
But the ②criminal knows no shame.
▷ ①Lit is not missing ②Or sinner
3:6 “I have eliminated nations;
Their corner towers are deserted.
I have laid waste their streets,
With no one passing by;
Their cities have been laid waste,
Without a person, without an inhabitant.
3:7 I said, ‘You will certainly revere Me,
You will accept discipline.’
So her dwelling will not be eliminated
In accordance with everything that I have stipulated for her.
Instead, they were eager to corrupt all their deeds.
3:8 “Therefore wait for Me,” declares the LORD,
“For the day when I rise up as a witness.
Indeed, My decision is to gather nations,
To assemble kingdoms,
To pour out on them My indignation,
All My burning anger;
For all the earth will be devoured
By the fire of My zeal.
3:9 For then I will ①restore to the peoples pure lips,
So that all of them may call on the name of the LORD,
To serve Him ②shoulder to shoulder.
▷ ①Lit change ②Lit with one shoulder
3:10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia
My worshipers, ①My dispersed ones,
Will bring My offerings.
▷ ①Lit the daughter of My dispersed ones
3:11 On that day you will feel no shame
Because of all your deeds
By which you have rebelled against Me;
For then I will remove from your midst
Your proud, arrogant ones,
And you will never again be haughty
On My holy mountain.
3:12 But I will leave among you
A humble and lowly people,
And they will take refuge in the name of the LORD.
3:13 The remnant of Israel will do no wrong
And tell no lies,
Nor will a deceitful tongue
Be found in their mouths;
For they will feed and lie down
With no one to frighten them.”
3:14 Shout for joy, daughter of Zion!
Shout in triumph, Israel!
Rejoice and triumph with all your heart,
Daughter of Jerusalem!
3:15 The LORD has taken away His judgments against you,
He has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You will no longer fear disaster.
3:16 On that day it will be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not be afraid, Zion;
Do not let your hands fall limp.
3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst,
A ①victorious warrior.
He will rejoice over you with joy,
He will ②be quiet in His love,
He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
▷ ①Lit A warrior who saves ②Or with some ancient versions, renew you in
3:18 I will gather those who are worried about the appointed feasts—
They ①came from you, Zion;
The disgrace of exile is a burden on ②them.
▷ ①Lit were ②Lit her
3:19 Behold, I am going to deal at that time
With all your oppressors;
I will save those who limp
And gather the scattered,
And I will turn their shame into praise and fame
In all the earth.
3:20 At that time I will bring you in,
Even at the time when I gather you together;
Indeed, I will make you famous and praiseworthy
Among all the peoples of the earth,
When I restore your fortunes before your eyes,”
Says the LORD.