¶ Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together¹, O nation² not desired³;

Before the decree⁴ bring forth, before the day pass as⁵ the chaff, before the fierce⁶ anger of the LORD come upon you, before the day of⁷ the LORD'S anger come upon you.

Seek ye⁸ the LORD, all⁹ ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness¹⁰, seek meekness: it may¹¹ be ye shall be hid¹² in the day of the LORD'S anger.

¶ For Gaza¹³ shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation: they shall drive out Ashdod at¹⁴ the noon day, and Ekron shall be rooted up.

Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites¹⁵! the word of the LORD is against you; O Canaan¹⁷, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.

And the sea¹⁸ coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.

And the coast¹⁹ shall be for the remnant²⁰ of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon: in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening: for²¹ the LORD their God shall visit them, and turn²² away their captivity.

¶ I have heard²³ the reproach of Moab, and the revilings²⁴ of the children of Ammon, whereby they have reproached my people, and magnified themselves against their border.

Therefore as I²⁵ live, saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Surely²⁶ Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorrah²⁷, even the breeding of nettles, and saltpits, and a perpetual desolation: the residue²⁸ of my people shall spoil them, and the remnant of my people shall possess them.

¶ This shall they have for²⁹ their pride, because they have reproached and magnified³⁰ themselves against the people of the LORD of hosts.

The LORD will be terrible unto them: for³¹ he will famish³² all the gods of the earth; and men shall worship him, every one from his place, even all the isles³³ of the heathen.

¶ Ye Ethiopians³⁴ also, ye shall be slain by my³⁵ sword.

And he will³⁶ stretch out his hand against the north, and destroy Assyria; and will make³⁷ Nineveh a desolation, and dry like a wilderness.

And flocks³⁸ shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover⁴⁰ the cedar work.

This is the rejoicing⁴¹ city that dwelt carelessly, that said in her heart, I am,⁴² and there is none beside me: how is⁴³ she become a desolation, a place for beasts to lie down in! every⁴⁴ one that passeth by her shall hiss, and wag his hand.