God

you eat the flesh of my people, skin them alive, break their bones; yes, they chop them in pieces, like flesh in a caldron, like meat in a pot.'"

Then they will call to ADONAI, but he will not answer them; when that time comes, he will hide his face from them, because their deeds were so wicked.

Here is what ADONAI says in regard to the prophets who cause my people to go astray, who cry, "Peace" as soon as they are given food to eat but prepare war against anyone who fails to put something in their mouths:

The seers will be put to shame, the diviners will be disgraced. They will have to cover their mouths, because there will be no answer from God.

On the other hand, I am full of power by the Spirit of ADONAI, full of justice and full of might, to declare to Ya'akov his crime, to Isra'el his sin.

Her leaders sell verdicts for bribes, her cohanim teach for a price, her prophets divine for money - yet they claim to rely on ADONAI! "Isn't ADONAI here with us?" they say. "No evil can come upon us."

But in the acharit-hayamim it will come about that the mountain of ADONAI's house will be established as the most important mountain. It will be regarded more highly than the other hills, and peoples will stream there.

Many Gentiles will go and say, "Come, let's go up to the mountain of ADONAI, to the house of the God of Ya'akov! He will teach us about his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For out of Tziyon will go forth Torah, the word of ADONAI from Yerushalayim.

He will judge between many peoples and arbitrate for many nations far away. Then they will hammer their swords into plow-blades and their spears into pruning-knives; nations will not raise swords at each other, and they will no longer learn war.

Instead, each person will sit under his vine and fig tree, with no one to upset him, for the mouth of ADONAI-Tzva'ot has spoken.

For all the peoples will walk, each in the name of its god; but we will walk in the name of ADONAI our God forever and ever.

"When that day comes," says ADONAI, "I will assemble the lame and gather those who were dispersed, along with those I afflicted.

I will make the lame a remnant and those who were driven off a strong nation." ADONAI will rule them on Mount Tziyon from that time forth and forever.

Be in pain! Work to give birth like a woman in labor, daughter of Tziyon! For now you will go out of the city and live in the wilds till you reach Bavel. There you will be rescued; there ADONAI will redeem you from the power of your enemies.

But they don't know the thoughts of ADONAI, they don't understand his plan; for he has gathered them like sheaves on the threshing-floor.

Get up! Start threshing, daughter of Tziyon! "For I will make your horns like iron and your hoofs like bronze." You will crush many peoples and devote their plunder to ADONAI, their wealth to the Lord of all the earth.

But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times.

He will stand and feed his flock in the strength of ADONAI, in the majesty of the name of ADONAI his God; and they will stay put, as he grows great to the very ends of the earth;

and this will be peace. If Ashur invades our land, if he overruns our fortresses, we will raise seven shepherds against him, eight leaders of men.

They will shepherd the land of Ashur with the sword, the land of Nimrod at its gates; and he will rescue us from Ashur when he invades our land, when he overruns our borders.

Then the remnant of Ya'akov, surrounded by many peoples, will be like dew from ADONAI, like showers on the grass, which doesn't wait for a man or expect anything from mortals.

"When that day comes," says ADONAI, "I will cut off your horses from among you and destroy your chariots.

I will cut off the cities of your land and lay waste your strongholds.

I will cut off sorceries from your land; you will no longer have soothsayers.

I will cut off your carved images and standing-stones from among you; no longer will you worship what your own hands have made.