Peace and Prosperity
1 In the future, the mountain
with the Lord's temple
will be the highest of all.
It will reach above the hills,
and every nation
will rush to it.
2 People of many nations
will come and say,
“Let's go up to the mountain
of the Lord God of Jacob
and worship in his temple.”
The Lord will teach us his Law
from Jerusalem,
and we will obey him.
3 He will settle arguments
between distant
and powerful nations.
They will pound their swords
and their spears
into rakes and shovels;
they will never again make war
or attack one another.
4 Everyone will find rest
beneath their own fig trees
or grape vines,
and they will live in peace.
This is a solemn promise
of the Lord All-Powerful.
5 Others may follow their gods,
but we will always follow
the Lord our God.
The Lord Will Lead His People Home
6 The Lord said:
At that time
I will gather my people—
the lame and the outcasts,
and all others into whose lives
I have brought sorrow.
7 Then the lame and the outcasts
will belong to my people
and become a strong nation.
I, the Lord, will rule them
from Mount Zion forever.
8 Mount Zion in Jerusalem,
guardian of my people,
you will rule again.
9 Jerusalem, why are you crying?
Don't you have a king?
Have your advisors gone?
Are you suffering
like a woman in childbirth?
10 Keep on groaning with pain,
you people of Jerusalem!
If you escape from your city
to the countryside,
you will still be taken
as prisoners to Babylonia.
But later I will rescue you
from your enemies.
11 Zion, because of your sins
you are surrounded
by many nations who say,
“We can hardly wait
to see you disgraced.”
12 But they don't know
that I, the Lord,
have gathered them here
to grind them like grain.
13 Smash them to pieces, Zion!
I'll let you be like a bull
with iron horns
and bronze hoofs.
Crush those nations
and bring their wealth to me,
the Lord of the earth.
1 But in the last dayes it shall come to passe, that the mountaine of the House of the Lord shall be prepared in the toppe of the mountaines, and it shall bee exalted aboue the hilles, and people shall flowe vnto it. 2 Yea, many nations shall come and say, Come, and let vs goe vp to the Mountaine of the Lord, and to the House of the God of Iaakob, and hee will teache vs his wayes, and we wil walke in his pathes: for the Lawe shall goe forth of Zion, and the worde of the Lord from Ierusalem. 3 And he shall iudge among many people, and rebuke mightie nations a farre off, and they shall breake their swordes into mattockes, and their speares into sithes: nation shall not lift vp a sword against nation, neither shall they learne to fight any more. 4 But they shall sit euery man vnder his vine, and vnder his figge tree, and none shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the Lord of hostes hath spoken it. 5 For all people will walke euery one in the name of his God, and we will walke in the Name of the Lord our God, for euer and euer. 6 At the same day, saith the Lord, will I gather her that halteth, and I will gather her that is cast out, and her that I haue afflicted. 7 And I will make her that halted, a remnant, and her that was cast farre off, a mightie nation: and the Lord shall reigne ouer them in Mount Zion, from hence forth euen for euer. 8 And thou, O towre of the flock, the strong holde of the daughter Zion, vnto thee shall it come, euen the first dominion, and kingdome shall come to the daughter Ierusalem. 9 Nowe why doest thou crie out with lamentation? is there no King in thee? is thy counseller perished? for sorowe hath taken thee, as a woman in trauaile. 10 Sorow and mourne, O daughter Zion, like a woman in trauaile: for nowe shalt thou goe foorth of the citie, and dwel in the field, and shalt goe into Babel, but there shalt thou be deliuered: there the Lord shall redeeme thee from the hand of thine enemies. 11 Nowe also many nations are gathered against thee, saying, Zion shalbe condemned and our eye shall looke vpon Zion. 12 But they knowe not the thoughtes of the Lord: they vnderstand not his counsell, for he shall gather them as the sheaues in the barne. 13 Arise, and thresh, O daughter Zion: for I will make thine horne yron, and I will make thine hooues brasse, and thou shalt breake in pieces many people: and I will consecrate their riches vnto the Lord, and their substance vnto the ruler of the whole worlde.