The Mountain of the Lord

4:1–3pp—Isa 2:1–4

4 In the last days

the mountainy of the Lord’s temple will be established

as the highest of the mountains;

it will be exalted above the hills,z

and peoples will stream to it.a

2 Many nations will come and say,

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,b

to the temple of the God of Jacob.c

He will teach usd his ways,e

so that we may walk in his paths.”

The lawf will go out from Zion,

the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

3 He will judge between many peoples

and will settle disputes for strong nations far and wide.g

They will beat their swords into plowshares

and their spears into pruning hooks.h

Nation will not take up sword against nation,

nor will they train for wari anymore.j

4 Everyone will sit under their own vine

and under their own fig tree,k

and no one will make them afraid,l

for the Lord Almighty has spoken.m

5 All the nations may walk

in the name of their gods,n

but we will walk in the name of the Lord

our God for ever and ever.o

The Lord’s Plan

6 “In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will gather the lame;p

I will assemble the exilesq

and those I have brought to grief.r

7 I will make the lame my remnant,s

those driven away a strong nation.t

The Lord will rule over them in Mount Zionu

from that day and forever.v

8 As for you, watchtower of the flock,

strongholda of Daughter Zion,

the former dominion will be restoredw to you;

kingship will come to Daughter Jerusalem.x”

9 Why do you now cry aloud—

have you no kingb y?

Has your rulerc perished,

that pain seizes you like that of a woman in labor?z

10 Writhe in agony, Daughter Zion,

like a woman in labor,

for now you must leave the city

to camp in the open field.

You will go to Babylon;a

there you will be rescued.

There the Lord will redeemb you

out of the hand of your enemies.

11 But now many nations

are gathered against you.

They say, “Let her be defiled,

let our eyes gloatc over Zion!”

12 But they do not know

the thoughts of the Lord;

they do not understand his plan,d

that he has gathered them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

13 “Rise and thresh,e Daughter Zion,

for I will give you horns of iron;

I will give you hooves of bronze,

and you will break to pieces many nations.”f

You will devote their ill-gotten gains to the Lord,g

their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

A Promised Ruler From Bethlehem

5 a Marshal your troops now, city of troops,

for a siege is laid against us.

They will strike Israel’s ruler

on the cheekh with a rod.

2 “But you, Bethlehemi Ephrathah,j

though you are small among the clansb of Judah,

out of you will come for me

one who will be rulerk over Israel,

whose origins are from of old,l

from ancient times.”m

3 Therefore Israel will be abandonedn

until the time when she who is in labor bears a son,

and the rest of his brothers return

to join the Israelites.

4 He will stand and shepherd his flocko

in the strength of the Lord,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

And they will live securely, for then his greatnessp

will reach to the ends of the earth.

5 And he will be our peaceq

when the Assyrians invader our land

and march through our fortresses.

We will raise against them seven shepherds,

even eight commanders,s

6 who will rulec the land of Assyria with the sword,

the land of Nimrodt with drawn sword.d u

He will deliver us from the Assyrians

when they invade our land

and march across our borders.v

7 The remnantw of Jacob will be

in the midst of many peoples

like dewx from the Lord,

like showers on the grass,y

which do not wait for anyone

or depend on man.

8 The remnant of Jacob will be among the nations,

in the midst of many peoples,

like a lion among the beasts of the forest,z

like a young lion among flocks of sheep,

which mauls and manglesa as it goes,

and no one can rescue.b

9 Your hand will be lifted upc in triumph over your enemies,

and all your foes will be destroyed.

10 “In that day,” declares the Lord,

“I will destroy your horses from among you

and demolish your chariots.d

11 I will destroy the citiese of your land

and tear down all your strongholds.f

12 I will destroy your witchcraft

and you will no longer cast spells.g

13 I will destroy your idolsh

and your sacred stones from among you;i

you will no longer bow down

to the work of your hands.j

14 I will uproot from among you your Asherah polese k

when I demolish your cities.

15 I will take vengeancel in anger and wrath

on the nations that have not obeyed me.”