6 In days to come Jacob will take root,

Israel will bud and blossom

and fill all the world with fruit.

7 Has the Lord struck her

as he struck down those who struck her?

Has she been killed

as those were killed who killed her?

8 By warfare and exile you contend with her—

with his fierce blast he drives her out,

as on a day the east wind blows.

9 By this, then, will Jacob’s guilt be atoned for,

and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:

When he makes all the altar stones

to be like limestone crushed to pieces,

no Asherah poles or incense altars

will be left standing.

6 In days to come Jacob shall take root,

Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots

and fill the whole world with fruit.

7 Has he struck them as he struck those who struck them?

Or have they been slain as their slayers were slain?

8 Measure by measure, by exile you contended with them;

he removed them with his fierce breath in the day of the east wind.

9 Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be atoned for,

and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:

when he makes all the stones of the altars

like chalkstones crushed to pieces,

no Asherim or incense altars will remain standing.

6 He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, And fill the face of the world with fruit.

7 Hath he smitten him, as he smote those that smote him? Or is he slain according to the slaughter of them that are slain by him? 8 In measure, when it shooteth forth, thou wilt debate with it: He stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind. 9 By this therefore shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; And this is all the fruit to take away his sin; When he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, The groves and images shall not stand up.

6 The time is coming when Jacob’s descendants will take root.

Israel will bud and blossom

and fill the whole earth with fruit!

7 Has the Lord struck Israel

as he struck her enemies?

Has he punished her

as he punished them?

8 No, but he exiled Israel to call her to account.

She was exiled from her land

as though blown away in a storm from the east.

9 The Lord did this to purge Israel’s wickedness,

to take away all her sin.

As a result, all the pagan altars will be crushed to dust.

No Asherah pole or pagan shrine will be left standing.

6 Those who come He shall cause to take root in Jacob;

Israel shall blossom and bud,

And fill the face of the world with fruit.

7 Has He struck Israel as He struck those who struck him?

Or has He been slain according to the slaughter of those who were slain by Him?

8 In measure, by sending it away,

You contended with it.

He removes it by His rough wind

In the day of the east wind.

9 Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be covered;

And this is all the fruit of taking away his sin:

When he makes all the stones of the altar

Like chalkstones that are beaten to dust,

Wooden images and incense altars shall not stand.

6 In the days to come, the people of Jacob will be like a plant with good roots;

Israel will grow like a plant beginning to bloom.

Then the world will be filled with their children.

7 The Lord has not hurt his people as he hurt their enemies;

his people have not been killed like those who tried to kill them.

8 He will settle his argument with Israel by sending it far away.

Like a hot desert wind, he will drive it away.

9 This is how Israel’s guilt will be forgiven;

this is how its sins will be taken away:

Israel will crush the rocks of the altar to dust,

and no statues or altars will be left standing for the Asherah idols.

6 In days to come shall Jacob take root; Israel shall blossom and bud; and they shall fill the face of the world with fruit.

7 Hath he smitten them as he smote those that smote them? or are they slain according to the slaughter of them that were slain by them? 8 In measure, when thou sendest them away, thou dost contend with them; he hath removed them with his rough blast in the day of the east wind. 9 Therefore by this shall the iniquity of Jacob be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he maketh all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are beaten in sunder, so that the Asherim and the sun-images shall rise no more.

6 In the future Jacob shall take root; Israel shall blossom and bud, and they shall fill the face of the world with fruit.

7 Hath he smitten him according to the smiting of those that smote him? Is he slain according to the slaughter of those slain by him? 8 In measure, when sending her away, didst thou contend with her: he hath taken her away with his rough wind in the day of the east wind. 9 By this, therefore, shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is all the fruit of the taking away of his sin: when he shall make all the stones of the altar as chalkstones that are crumbled in pieces, —the Asherahs and the sun-images shall not stand.

6 In times to come Jacob will take root. 

Israel will blossom, bud, 

and fill the whole world with fruit. 

7 Will the Lord hurt Israel as he hurt others who hurt them? 

Will he kill them as he killed others? 

8 He punished Israel by sending it away. 

He removed it with a fierce blast from the east winds. 

9 In this way the wrongdoings of the descendants of Jacob are covered up. 

This is the way they will turn from their sins— 

when they turn all the altar stones into powdered chalk 

and no poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah 

or incense altars are left standing. 

6 In days to come, Jacob will take root.

Israel will blossom and bloom

and fill the whole world with fruit.

7 Did the Lord strike Israel

as He struck the one who struck Israel?

Was he killed like those killed by Him?

8 You disputed with her

by banishing and driving her away.

He removed her with His severe storm

on the day of the east wind.

9 Therefore Jacob’s iniquity will be purged in this way,

and the result of the removal of his sin will be this:

when he makes all the altar stones

like crushed bits of chalk,

no Asherah poles or incense altars will remain standing.

6 In days to come Jacob shall take root,

Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots,

and fill the whole world with fruit.

7 Has he struck them down as he struck down those who struck them?

Or have they been killed as their killers were killed?

8 By expulsion, by exile you struggled against them;

with his fierce blast he removed them in the day of the east wind.

9 Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be expiated,

and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:

when he makes all the stones of the altars

like chalkstones crushed to pieces,

no sacred poles or incense altars will remain standing.

6 Days are coming, let Jacob take root;

Israel will blossom and send out shoots,

and they will fill the face of the world with fruit.

7 Does he strike him as he struck down those who struck him?

Or is he killed as those who killed him were killed?

8 By expelling her, by her sending away, you argue with her.

He removed them with his strong wind,

in the day of the east wind.

9 Therefore by this he will make atonement for the guilt of Jacob,

and this will be all of the fruit of the removal of his sin:

when he makes all the stones of the altar like crushed stones of chalk,

no poles of Asherah worship or incense altars will stand.

6 In days to come, Jacob’s people will put down roots like a vine.

Israel will bud and bloom.

They will fill the whole world with fruit.

7 The Lord struck down those who struck Israel down.

But he hasn’t punished Israel as much.

The Lord killed those who killed many of his people.

But he hasn’t punished his people as much.

8 The Lord will use war to punish Israel.

He will make them leave their land.

With a strong blast of his anger he will drive them out.

It will be as if the east wind were blowing.

9 The people of Jacob will have to pay for their sin.

That must happen in order for their sin to be taken away.

They will make all of the altar stones like chalk.

They will crush them to pieces.

No poles that had been used to worship the goddess Asherah will be left standing.

No incense altars will be left either.