4 Now these are the words which the Lord spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah:

5 “For thus says the Lord,

‘1I have heard a sound of aterror,

Of dread, and there is no peace.

6 ‘Ask now, and see

If a male can give birth.

Why do I see every man

With his hands on his loins, aas a woman in childbirth?

And why have all faces turned pale?

7 ‘Alas! for that aday is great,

There is bnone like it;

And it is the time of Jacob’s cdistress,

But he will be dsaved from it.

8 ‘It shall come about on that day,’ declares the Lord of hosts, ‘that I will abreak his yoke from off 1their neck and will tear off 1their bbonds; and strangers will no longer cmake 2them their slaves.

9 ‘But they shall serve the Lord their God and aDavid their king, whom I will raise up for them.

10 ‘aFear not, O Jacob My servant,’ declares the Lord,

‘And do not be dismayed, O Israel;

For behold, I will save you bfrom afar

And your 1offspring from the land of their captivity.

And Jacob will return and will be cquiet and at ease,

And dno one will make him afraid.

11 ‘For aI am with you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to save you;

For I will bdestroy completely all the nations where I have scattered you,

Only I will cnot destroy you completely.

But I will dchasten you justly

And will by no means leave you unpunished.’